Abstract

Composition and Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in Landfill Site: In case of Dilla city, Ethiopia

Author(s): Gezahegn Kebede, Eyasu Mekonnen and Rejila Manikandan

Solid waste composition and characteristics are important variables to consider by which appropriate management and treatment should be applied. The study was conducted to explore the composition and characteristics of the solid waste at landfill Dilla, City, Ethiopia. In the landfill site, the composition and characteristics of solid waste were explored by manual excavation of 2.0 - 6.0 m in depth (upper, middle and bottom layer). Samples of solid waste were obtained at the depth of each layer were analyzed. The physical composition in the upper layer results were revealed that cringe 4%, demolish waste 41%, paper 3%, soil 4%, plastic 7%, stone 4%, glass 3%, shoes 6%, textile 1%, bone 6%, ash7% and other 14%.. However, in the middle layer physical composition were paper 5%, charcoal 3%, textile 3%, glass 6%, wood 8%, plastic 6%, bone 9%, soil 29%, stone5% and other 24%. In the bottom layer contain decomposed waste 33%, textile 9, plastic 7%, bone 10%, shoes 5% and other 30%. Moreover, the quantities of recyclable materials in landfill site results were revealed that, highest proposition of plastic waste (20%) as compared to textile and paper waste. As per the results of chemical composition, moisture, ash and fixed carbon content were increased with increase the depth of the landfill site. However volatile content was more in the upper layer. In general, from the study results, large proportion of the generated wastes is either compostable or recyclable or energy can be reclaimed from it. Therefore, the municipality has to reduce a waste that goes to disposal site through composting, recycling and energy recovery techniques