Solid waste processing. A case study for an integrated waste treatment plant project

In the last year, U.E. and national solid waste management legislations are pressing for a plant project revision in relation with an energy, economical and environmental audit. An integrated optimisation of the plants is so finalised to obtain the greatest recovery of energy and materials with a minimum environmental impact from the solid waste process. In this paper a study for a solid waste treatment plant project is presented. The case study is related with a plant in Rimini district (Italy), that is actually composed by a small separation equipment, a MSW landfill and by a biogas recovery system for electric energy generation. To optimise the plant, both by environment and economical point of view, and in the light of the latest Italian solid waste legislation, this project will provide for a solid waste pre treatment section, using thermic conversion technologies and biological process. In this way, the study is composed of a comparison of these technologies, an economical and energy balance and an analysis of the environmental balance in order to suggest the best technology into plant project execution.