QUESTION 1

a) Selection and application of suitable techniques, technologies and management program are
Crucial in order to achieve specific waste management goals and objectives in the integrated
solid waste management.
i) Briefly describe the hierarchy of integrated solid waste management. (2 marks)
Used to rank action to implement programs within the community.
Different for every states & organizations
Interpretation ISWM hierarchy will continue to vary by state.
ii) By using a diagram, discuss the elements involve in the hierarchy of integrated solid waste
management. (8 marks)

I.

Source reduction
Highest rank of ISWM hierarchy
Involve reducing the amount & toxicity of the generated waste
Most effective way to reduce quantity of waste, cost & its environmental
impacts.

II.

Recycling
2nd highest rank of ISWM hierarchy
Involve:
Separation & collection of waste materials
Preparation of materials for reuse, reprocessing & remanufacturing
Reuse, reprocessing & remanufacturing of the materials

III.

Waste transformation
3rd rank of ISWM hierarchy
Involve physical, chemical, biological alteration of wastes
Used to:
Improve the efficiency of SWM operations & systems

 Recover reusable & recyclable materials

Recover conversion products (compost) & energy in the form of heat &
combustible biogas.
IV.

Landfilling
Lowest rank: represent the least desirable of dealing with the societys
wastes.
Alternative ways for:
SW that cannot be recycled/no further use
Residual matter remaining after SW has been separated at MRF
Residual matter remaining after the recovery of conversion products.

b) A sanitary landfill was established in Ampar Tenang, Sepang. The landfill site is located
approximately 4 km to the south of Dengkil and has received about 100 tons of domestic waste
per day. Evaluate the effects of waste that could be avoided by applying sanitary landfill. (6
marks)

c) Identify the two principal agencies and two legislations that are related to solid waste
management in Malaysia. (4 marks)
Agencies
Ministry of Housing and Local Government Malaysia, 2005
NGOs
Legislations
SOLID WASTE AND PUBLIC CLEANSING MANAGEMENT CORPORATION ACT
2007 (ACT 673)
SOLID WASTE AND PUBLIC CLEANSING MANAGEMENT ACT 2007 (ACT 672)

QUESTION 2
a) From the following data, calculate the unit waste generation rate for a residential area
consisting of 2500 homes. The observation location is a local transfer station that receives all
the wastes collected for disposal in one week. Assume each household is comprised of four
people.

(4 marks)
Items

No. of load

Average volume,

Specific weight,
kg/ m 3

Total weight, kg

Compactor truck

15

18

500

135,000

Flatbed truck

220

3960

Total

138,960

Unit waste generation =

138,960
(2500 x 4)(7)

= 1.99 kg/capita.d

b) Compare the weight-volume analysis with material mass balance analysis. (6 marks)
Weight-volume analysis

The weight and number of load was

recorded for over specific period of
time.
Used to determine waste quantities &
estimate the volume of each truck
Involve weighing of collection vehicle at
entrance to transfer station using
platform scales.

Mass balance analysis

Very expensive method & difficult to

apply (not used generally)
To determine the generation &
movement of SW with any degree of
reliability
Preparations/steps of material mass
balance analysis.

c) Table below lists the component of waste collected from a landfill. Determine the moisture
Content of the Solid Waste. (4 marks)

Total

100

Moisture content = [(w d)/w] x 100

= [(100-78.4)/100] x 100
= 21.6

78.4

d) Information on the chemical composition of the components that constitute Municipal Solid
Waste (MSW) is important in evaluating alternative processing and recovery options. Outline
two chemical properties of MSW. (6 marks)
I.

II.

Ultimate Analysis
Determination of the percent/proportion of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen,
nitrogen, sulfur and ash.
The result used to characterize the chemical composition of the organic
matter in SW.
Energy Content
Determination by:
Full scale boiler (calorimeter)
Laboratory bomb calorimeter
Calculation (if elemental composition known)

e) Combustion of solid waste involves a chemical transformation in which Solid matter is

transformed to gas. However, there will always be some undesirable products. Suggest factors
or process variables that might affect the conversion products. (3 marks)

Thermal oxidation

QUESTION 3
a) Alam Flora is choosing the best MSW Collection services for a new residential area. This
area has 1500 terrace houses, where the developer has built specific waste bin space for each
house gate. Every row of the houses has alley for transportation. As an officer of Alam Flora,
propose the best method for waste collection services. (1 mark)

Curb (Kerb-side), alley & backyard collection

b) Describe in details the method you chose for 3a). (4 marks)

Quickest/economical
Crew: 1 driver + collectors
No need to enter property
Homeowner place the container to be emptied and return the empty
container

c) State the six factors in selecting vehicle for collection of MSW. (6 marks)

i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.

Waste quantities
Truck body/container capacity
Consult with collection crew & drivers
Loading location
Physical characteristics of collection routes/road width
Residential, commercial/industrial: HCS for large buildings

d) Summarize the layout of collection MSW route. (8 marks)

1. Prepare location maps:
With pick up point locations
Number of containers
2. Data summaries
Estimate of waste each day (from pick up locations)
For SCS: number of locations for each pick up cycle.
3. Preliminary collection routes (from different stations)
Route should connect all pick up locations & last location be nearest to
disposal site
4. Develop balanced route
Determine haul distance for each route
Determine labor requirement per day, check available work times
e) Solid waste transfer stations provide large pits for wastes to be stored before transfering
them to the landfills. Differentiate the direct dump and compaction pits. (4marks)
Direct dump

Collection vehicles dump directly into

open-top transfer trailer.
Large hoppers direct the waste into the
transfer trailers
Very large transfer trailers are used
(due to minimal compaction)
Efficient-no
intermediate
handling
required (direct from vehicle to transfer
trailer)

Compaction pit

Hopper
(corong
tuang)
type
compaction station
Waste drop by gravity into a
compactor: packs the waste into
the trailers.
Push pit (lubang) compactor station
A large hydraulically operated blade
moves the waste to the stationary
packer: then packs the waste into
the trailers.

QUESTION 4
a) A high volume of ferrous and non-ferrous waste was collected from Kajang area. By using the
Waste separation Concept for recovery of Solid waste, propose Suitable equipment for this
matter. (1 mark)

Magnetic separator

b) Describe the equipment you proposed from 4a). (4 marks)

i.

ii.

Belt-type magnetic separator

to convey the attracted materials around a curve & to agitate it. The nonferrous
metal will fall away freely.
Two drum magnetic separator
to pick up ferrous metal from the shredded waste & toss it forward to intermediate
conveyor
non-magnetic materials will fall to a take away conveyor located at below

c) Solid waste disposed in the landfill will produce landfill gases. Discuss the process
occurred to the solid waste until the production of methane gases. (4 marks)

Landfill gas is a complex mix of different gases created by the action of

microorganisms within a landfill
process whereby anaerobic bacteria decompose organic waste to produce
biogas, which consists of methane and carbon dioxide

d) State one function of bioreactors that is used in landfill. (1 mark)

Used to speed the breakdown of trash in landfills and produce more methane.

e) Compare the active control and passive control of landfill gases. (4 marks)