Abstract:
The present practice of solid waste management (SWM) in the Galle Municipal Council (GMC)
area is not adequate to meet the 18 tons of daily SW generation. Hence the suitability of implementing
Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) was studied by characterizing SW of the area and studying
carefully the current practice. The study revealed that SW was mostly organic with a percentage ranging
from 49 to 94 with relatively high moisture content. There was a notable decrease of organic content and
an increase of the inorganic content in comparison to previous years. Though the highest calorific value
(CV) which was 18 MJ/kg is less than that of normal fuels, fuel generation can be implemented through
the production process of Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF). The key suggestions are source separation,
introduction of composting and anaerobic digestion for all the biodegradable waste, introduction of
recycling options for recyclables and an engineered landfill for the inert matter.
