Impact of Composition of Municipal Solid Waste on Methane Generation in Laboratory Batch and Simulator Tests

Methane (CH₄) is generated during anaerobic biodegradation of municipal solid waste in landfills and can be collected as an energy source. CH₄ generation rate (k) and potential CH₄ generation capacity (L₀) are two key parameters of the EPA LandGEM model used to estimate CH₄ generation in full-scale landfills. These parameters can be measured in laboratory batch and simulator tests. The relationships of these parameters with waste composition - specifically, the percentages of biodegradable constituents - were investigated. k was positively correlated to the percentage of biodegradable constituents. L₀ correlated well with volatile solids inthe waste. A k-L₀ chart was developed to delineate the boundaries of CH₄ generation rate and potential CH₄ generation capacity during MSW biodegradation in laboratory tests. Waste composition and heterogeneity, moisture content and temperature likely contributed to the differences of k and L₀ values obtained between batch and simulator tests.