Investigating the potential of plastic mining from Gohagoda dumpsite in Kandy, Sri Lanka | |
| Author | Herath, Kavindya Gayanika |
| Call Number | AIT RSPR no.MPA-21-52 |
| Subject(s) | Plastic scrap--Environmental aspects--Sri Lanka--Kandy Plastics--Environmental aspects--Sri Lanka--Kandy Solid waste management--Environmental aspects--Sri Lanka--Kandy |
| Note | A research study submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Marine Plastics Abatement |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Plastic pollution is one of the main challenges facing the world today. Plastic pollution affects the environment, specifically marine life, posing a serious threat to human and animal health. Most of the world’s plastic waste enters the ocean due to poor waste management systems, such as open dumpsite, etc. In Sri Lanka, the waste management system mostly utilizes open dumping or landfilling. Sri Lankan Municipalities collect the municipal solid waste, and the waste is disposed of together to dumpsites. Gohagoda dumpsite is the main dumpsites in Kandy. This research study aims to conduct the composition analysis of municipal solid waste in the Gohagoda dumpsite in different locations. The RDF fraction of the excavated waste was characterize based on sizes and then required machinery and mined plastic/RDF recycling options were identified for dumpsite mining. Moreover, this study investigated how open dumpsites affect the workers and the residents who live nearby, which cannot be ignored. In Gohagoda dumpsite, organic fractions were decomposed than the other fractions i.e., plastics, glass, metals, and textiles. Soil is the largest fraction found in the previous dumpsite followed by plastics and biodegradable waste was the highest composition found in the current dumpsite followed by plastics. Trommel size of 25mm is recommended to separate RDF fraction from the soil fraction. The Recovered mined waste can be treated either by waste to energy (WtE) / heat (WtH) or low value polythene can be used for landfill site to construct special clay polythene clay landfill liner. Finally, workers who lived nearby were affected by the dumpsite, especially by the odor of the dumpsite. |
| Year | 2021 |
| Type | Research Study Project Report (RSPR) |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Energy and Climate Change (Former title: Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Change (DEECC)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Marine Plastic Abatement (MPA) |
| Chairperson(s) | Visvanathan, Chettiyappan |
| Examination Committee(s) | Thammarat Koottatep;Kavinda Gunasekara |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Government of Japan |
| Degree | Research studies project report (M.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2021 |