Elemental Analysis of Municipal Solid Waste Compost II. Refuse Derived Fuel Unders

In utilizing municipal solid waste (MSW) as fuel for energy production, about 10 percent remains as a noncombustible small size fraction byproduct called refuse derived fuel unders (RDFU). We assessed the feasibility of using RDFU to produce compost for land applications, in the context of acceptable limits for metals. Periodic random samples from two batches of RDFU obtained during composting were analyzed for the heavy metals Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn, and for the plant nutrients N, P, and K. The heavy metal content (mg/kg, dry weight) in all samples ranged from 1.7-12.7 (Cd), 201-3217 (Cu), 267-5002 (Pb), 344-2079 (Zn). The total variability of these elements within a batch of RDFU compost was high, with relative standard deviations (RSD) ranging from 20-107 percent. Estimates of the number of samples needed to obtain a 10 percent uncertainty in the averages ranged from 5-138, depending on the analyte and the compost batch. Leachability tests showed little leaching of metals in the RDFU compost. The high variability in heavy metal content and the excessive Pb concentrations in this RDFU may limit its use for composting.