Physical–Chemical Properties of Municipal Solid Waste and the Implication for Urban Management on Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A Case Study in Hefei, China

Municipal solid waste (MSW) puts an extreme pressure on MSW management for its complexity and the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG). It can provide important suggestions for waste management by predicting GHG emissions. At present, most of the basic data for predicting GHG emissions comes from previous studies, which may cause errors between the research results and the actual situation. The physical composition, proximate analysis, and ultimate analysis of MSW from the waste transfer station in Hefei were systematically analyzed in this study. Seven scenarios of MSW management were simulated; the GHG emissions and offsets during transport, recovery, and treatment were calculated by utilizing the IPCC guidelines and emission factors. The results showed that the physical composition of MSW in Hefei was 49.64% food, 27.45% plastic, and 12.80% paper. MSW in Hefei was not suitable for composting due to the high C/N ratio, and waste classification made Hefei domestic waste more suitable for incineration. When compared with the existing treatment method, no landfill reduced 38.93% of GHG emissions. GHG emissions were reduced by 60.05% with the complete separation of food waste. This study can provide support for choosing MSW treatment and reducing GHG emissions in Hefei.