Characterisation study of solid wastes: A case of districts in Tekirdağ

Abstract

In this study, solid waste characterisation of high-income, middle-income, low-income regions and market areas in Tekirdağ Metropolitan Municipality was carried out in winter and summer, 2016. As a result, the amount of organic wastes (kitchen wastes, park and green wastes) and packaging waste (paper, cardboard, bulky cardboard, plastics, glass, metals and bulky metals) in Tekirdağ were determined as 41.02% and 32.4% respectively, by waste sampling. When waste characterisation was analysed based on the districts, it was seen that paper and plastic waste is mostly produced from the Çorlu district. The reason for this could be the high level of welfare of the citizens living in Çorlu and the high number of working people compared to other districts due to the high density of industrial facilities. It was also seen that the ash percentage of waste is high in the districts of Hayrabolu, Şarköy, Muratlı, Marmaraereğlisi, Malkara and Saray, which are the districts not covered by natural gas distribution grid. Waste samples were characterised in the Tubitak Energy Institute Laboratory to determine the moisture content, calorific value and glow loss. The results showed that there is a high moisture and organic matter in the wastes, which makes the incineration method not suitable for the treatment of solid wastes in Tekirdağ. The results of this study highlighted that there is a potential for introducing recycling schemes especially in high income regions in Tekirdağ. To initiate such programmes, collected municipal waste could be separated in two streams in place; organics and co-mingled dry-recyclables.