The document discusses challenges in waste management in a globalized economy. It provides context on MBT (mechanical biological treatment) technologies and their relevance in "starting" versus "advanced" countries. A case study of waste management in Austria is presented, which banned landfilling of untreated municipal solid waste in 2004. This led various counties to implement MBT plants to process waste before landfilling. The document outlines the types of waste treatment facilities currently used in Austria, including incineration plants and MBT facilities. It also provides a brief example of a small MBT plant in Slovakia.

1. Los retos en la gestión de residuos urbanos en una economía globalizada
Els reptes en la gestió de residus urbans en una economia globalitzada
Challenges in waste management in a globalized economy
IMPLEMENTATION OF MBT IN LOW DENSITY CONDITIONS
Martin Steiner
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2. Los retos en la gestión de residuos urbanos en una economía globalizada
Els reptes en la gestió de residus urbans en una economia globalitzada
Challenges in waste management in a globalized economy
TBU at a glance:
Independent Engineering Consultants focussing on MSW
Conceptual Design Reference projects on MBT:
(collection & treatment, Location of plant Services
finance & implementation) Hanover (D) Weak point analysis and
optimisation (mechanical pre-treatment)
Design & Optimization Cascais (P) Odour assessment, performance
enhancement of biologic steps
of Waste Treatment Plants
Sydney (AUS) Due diligence services, test run audit
(mainly MT/MBT systems) Istanbul (TR) Solid waste audit (in order to define
mechanical pre-treatment), start-up
Solid Waste Auditing Milan (I) Odour assessment, process optimisation
Training & Education
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3. Los retos en la gestión de residuos urbanos en una economía globalizada
Els reptes en la gestió de residus urbans en una economia globalitzada
Challenges in waste management in a globalized economy
TBU is engaged
in the MBT sector
since about 20 years…
with references in
Europe and overseas
with both design of new
and optimization of
existing facilities
both very small
and very large…
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4. M. Steiner, MBT technologies in "starting"
and "advanced" countries: What´s different?
Los retos en la gestión de residuos urbanos en una economía globalizada
Els reptes en la gestió de residus urbans en una economia globalitzada
Challenges in waste management in a globalized economy
Presentation outline: *) according to time buidget
Case study Austria
Features of MBT, and their relevance
in 'starting' and 'advanced' countries
Features of MBT, and their relevance
according to input properties as well as size of catchment area
MBT in Europe, overview on status
and further development to be expected *)
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5. Case study Austria
1.000 t/a
kg/inh.a Other Recycleables
3.500
Packagings (Plastics, Metals)
400
3.000
350 Biowaste
2.500 300
Glass
2.000 250
Paper
1.500 200
Bulky waste
1.000
Residual MSW
500 1
Waste from households, total
0
1974
1984
1992
1996
1998
1982
1986
1972
1988
1990
2000
1994
1976
1980
1978
Waste disposed of
year
M. Steiner: “IMPLEMENTATION OF MBT IN LOW DENSITY CONDITIONS” 5

6. Since January 1, 2004
it is forbidden in Austria
to dispose of untreated MSW
on any landfill !
1
M. Steiner: “IMPLEMENTATION OF MBT IN LOW DENSITY CONDITIONS”

7. Los retos en la gestión de residuos urbanos en una economía globalizada
Els reptes en la gestió de residus urbans en una economia globalitzada
Challenges in waste management in a globalized economy
Technical Alternatives for Waste Conditioning in Austria
Thermal Treatment Biological / Thermal Treatment
Residual Waste Residual Waste
Mechanical Treatment
„Splitting“
Thermal Treatment Biological „Inerting“ Thermal Treatment
(conventional system) (fluidized bed)
Landfill
Landfill (+ some utilization for landscaping) Landfill
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8. Incineration plants in Austria 2010
7 grid incineration plants
3 fluidized bed incineration plants
with a total capacity
of 2,3 mio. tons 3
8

9. MBT in Austria 2010
~ 18 MBT plants in Austria
with a total capacity
of close to 1 Mio. tons
MBT
MT
Capacity [tons per year] amount
< 10.000 1 Capacities ranging from
4.500 to 140.000 t/year
10.000 – 20.000 5
20.001 - 50.000 4 No anaerobic digestion facilities for MSW
50.001 – 100.000 5 are in operation, only for separately collec-
> 100.000 4 ted materials (bio- + catering waste)
9

10. Los retos en la gestión de residuos urbanos en una economía globalizada
Els reptes en la gestió de residus urbans en una economia globalitzada
Challenges in waste management in a globalized economy
The thermal option is well known… …but what is MBT ?
“Soft” Incineration
a variety of techniques & combinations
thereof – which in contrary to “classic” WtoE
involves several mechanical process steps
(at least grinding and/or screening)
reduces organic matter by biologic means
shows an “economy of scale”-factor up to
10 times lower (min. MBT: ~ 10.000 tpy).
Note that purely mechanical systems (MT)
are occasionally subsumized with MBT
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11. Los retos en la gestión de residuos urbanos en una economía globalizada
Els reptes en la gestió de residus urbans en una economia globalitzada
Challenges in waste management in a globalized economy
Example for a „small“ MT plant (focus on RDF)
MT plant Malacky, Western Slovakia, operated since 2010
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12. Features of MBT, and their relevance…
…in „starting“ countries: …in „advanced“ countries:
Convenient cost Cost difference to conventional WtoE
–
both capex & opex tends to become neglectible
Gradual development of treatment
standards: ± practiced at low level
Phasing of investments (goes against
the fact that donors and development
agencies as a rule must distribute their
grants or loans over very short periods)
Flexibility, both in terms of
- feedstock + Combination M(B)T (several smaller
- size of catchment area ( capacity) facilities) + one central thermal plant
Large variety of technologies
- Opportunity for local suppliers ± Not more than a dozen suppliers of WtoE
- Obstacle: Tedious decision processes technologies on the market worldwide
Carbon sequestration to the extent as landfilling of MB treated
+
fractions is allowed / practiced
1
Decoupling the functions of to be realized only by combining M(B)T
waste treatment and
energy production + with thermal treatment (increasingly
FBT fluidized bed technology)
M. Steiner: “IMPLEMENTATION OF MBT IN LOW DENSITY CONDITIONS”

13. Specific investment:
< 100 €/t … 400 €/t installed capacity p.a.
1
Turning a triangular windrow, source: Fully encapsulated, anaerobic MBT with RDF production, source:
RRSI Resource Recovery Systems International aha Hanover (regional public enterprise for waste disposal services)
M. Steiner: “IMPLEMENTATION OF MBT IN LOW DENSITY CONDITIONS”

14. MBT in ´advanced´ countries:
Is the cost difference to W-to-E significant?
1
M. Steiner: “IMPLEMENTATION OF MBT IN LOW DENSITY CONDITIONS”

15. „Double duty“ sites
Aerobic systems:
Since about 15 years full modularity
is a standard: Start up with a certain size…
...introduction of separate
collection (biowaste) requires
for no additional investment
...capacity increase
according to 1
actual demand
M. Steiner: “IMPLEMENTATION OF MBT IN LOW DENSITY CONDITIONS”

16. Baltic countries:
MBT develops to standard
Eastern Europe
MSW treatment method
(at least in Lithuania)
Poland:
long tradition with
MSW composting
Today supposed to be the
Czech Republic, Slovakia: country with the highest
potential in terms of imple-
„Waste substitutes coal“
1
menting MBT capacities
Focus on anaerobic
concepts and CV fraction
M. Steiner: “IMPLEMENTATION OF MBT IN LOW DENSITY CONDITIONS”

17. Flexibility
in respect to feedstock: ...to metropoles
MSW biosolids „Ex-Maserati“, 2.000 t/day
various industrial
waste types
The ´biologic treatment
option´ generally offers
flexibility
in terms of plant size:
Unit sizes
…range from household level
1
M. Steiner: “IMPLEMENTATION OF MBT IN LOW DENSITY CONDITIONS”

18. Entire catchment area,
population up to x.000.000
The crosslinked vs. the ´classical´ outline…
Sub catchment area,
population x0.000
Higher failsafety
Higher energy
efficiency
Quicker results
…decoupling
the functions of
waste treatment and
energy production…
M. Steiner: “IMPLEMENTATION OF MBT IN LOW DENSITY CONDITIONS”

19. What´s really new in
thermal waste treatment?
Fluidized Bed Incineration
… features compared
to conventional (grate)
incineration):
Pre-treatment required
Less air
less cost
less size
Higher quality
of solid residuals
Higher energy efficiency
by reduction of chlorine
corrosion, thus higher 1
´steam parameters´
Ideally to be combined with
certain industrial processes
M. Steiner: “IMPLEMENTATION OF MBT IN LOW DENSITY CONDITIONS”

20. MBT in Europe: Current status
In Europe, the share of MBT
systems in waste treatment is
(in some countries more, in others
less) determined by two factors:
from a retrospective point of view,
by the historical development of
MSW composting with tradition
eg. in Austria, Germany, Italy…
1
M. Steiner: “IMPLEMENTATION OF MBT IN LOW DENSITY CONDITIONS”

21. MBT in Europe: Perspectives
…and by European legislation,
which through the “Landfill
Directive“ restricts the proportion
of the biodegradable fraction of
MSW intended to go to landfill.
1
M. Steiner: “IMPLEMENTATION OF MBT IN LOW DENSITY CONDITIONS”