Recirculation of nutrients from MSW with a biocell reactor technique

Abstract

Biological treatment of wastes is an important part of a sustainable waste managementsystem, and can be used for the extraction of nutrients, humus and energy, but also for longterm stabilization or detoxification of wastes. New biological techniques, like some types ofreactor cells, constructed in landfill areas, also function as bio-filters, where nutrients areseparated in a liquid form while heavy metals and other pollutants are fixed in thefermentation residue. Energy is extracted as biogas. Thus not only source separated, nonpolluted organic wastes, but also slightly polluted residual municipal, commercial or lightindustrial wastes can be treated and stabilized with biological techniques.