Quantitative evaluation of heavy metal pollution hazards in leachate during fermentation before municipal solid waste incineration

Municipal solid waste (MSW) produces leachate during the fermentation process before it is incinerated. If the heavy metals contained in it are not properly treated, it will affect the subsequent MSW incineration effect, and produce serious pollution and aggravate more environment and health costs. Quantitative evaluation of heavy metals' pollution hazards and estimation of such environmental costs are under-represented in the existing literature. This study uses the logistic function method to evaluate the extent of pollution caused by heavy metals such as Hg, Pb, Cd, As, and Cr in the leachate produced by fermentation before the MSW incineration at the Jiangqiao MSW incineration plant in Shanghai, China, and estimates the corresponding environmental cost. The results of the case study demonstrated that the average single pollution hazards rate of Pb, Cd, Hg, As and Cr reached 1.53%, 1.35%, 0.42%, 0.42% and 0.23% respectively, and the comprehensive pollution hazards rate reaches 3.9%. The environmental cost caused by heavy metals in leachate during fermentation before MSW incineration reaches US$ 0.03 per ton on average. Considering the hazards of heavy metals in the leachate to the water environment, and the environmental costs that may inflict on Shanghai to be as much as US$ 9919 -US$ 17550 per year, this study provides meaningful and important information to policy makers.

Automated summary

This study evaluates the pollution hazards of heavy metals in leachate produced during fermentation before MSW incineration in Shanghai, China, and estimates the corresponding environmental costs. The results show that the pollution hazards rate of heavy metals and the environmental cost caused by them are significant, providing important information to policy makers.