Energy from waste: a solution for the garbage crisis at Meethotamulla, Kolonnawa, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generation and management is a continually growing problem at global level, and is becoming more complicated day by day. Sri Lanka as a developing country also confronts the issue of increasing solid waste. Its major conventional solid waste management practice of open dumping is being challenged at present due to its negative impacts on environment and public health. Therefore, there is a necessity to look at this problem from a new perspective. Being identified the Energy from Waste (EfW) technologies as one of the best solutions to solve MSW problem, this paper aims at assessing the viability of setting up an EfW facility to get rid of Meethotamulla, Kolonnawa Garbage Mountain which has become a pressing issue today. The data gathered from secondary sources such as government publications, journal articles, newspaper articles, and other published reports intensifies this analysis. Based on the analysis, it is identified that mass combustion is the best possible technology to treat about 1300 tons of waste per day in order to make the Meethotamulla garbage site hazard free zone by 2040 and to generate 14MW of electricity per day as a by-product of waste combustion. And eventually, the PESTE analysis identifies the opportunities and threats that can be affected when implementing such a capital intensive facility.