Biogas production from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste

This article discusses the potential use of biogas from municipal landfills to fuel urban heat space in Turkey. Biogas can be obtained from digesting the organic material of municipal solid wastes (MSW). The composition of MSW varies by the source of waste; however, in all cases the major constituents of MSW are organic in nature and the organics account for more than 50% of MSW. The main constituents of landfill gas are methane and carbon dioxide, both of which are major contributors to global warming. The generation of methane is worthwhile after one year from the start of the landfill operation. The compositional characteristics of MSW vary considerably from the large cities to the small towns and regions in Turkey. The social and demographic factors for each region are very different.