The uptake of anaerobic digestion for the organic fraction of municipal solid waste - Push versus pull factors

There are thousands of anaerobic digestion facilities worldwide applied to agricultural waste, energy crops and industrial food processing wastes. Yet, centralised anaerobic digestion for the organic fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW) is almost exclusively applied in Europe and California where diversion of organics from landfill is enforced by legislation. Even in the EU however, only 5% of OFMSW is currently digested, with most organic waste incinerated. Municipalities elsewhere are reluctant to switch to biological treatment, even when made financially preferable through mechanisms such as landfill taxes. The uptake of OFMSW anaerobic digestion around the world and the legislative and economic drivers where this has occurred are reviewed. The prime reason for lack of uptake in regions with ample economic drivers is a lack of experience of municipalities and environmental regulators in regulating both the facilities and the disposal of treated organic material to land.