S. F. Seyyedalipour - PHD student of civil engineering-environmental engineering, civil & environmental engineering faculty of Amirkabir University of technology
T EBADI - Assistant Professor of civil engineering-environmental engineering, civil & environmental engineering faculty of Amirkabir University of technology,
r maknoon - Assistant Professor of civil engineering-environmental engineering, civil & environmental engineering faculty of Amirkabir University of technology

The generation of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) has increased in parallel to the rapid industrialization. MSW disposal and treatment essentially cause problems in many countries due to their voluminous characteristic. The customary means of MSW management is via landfill disposal, but its dependency is gradually being limited by developed countries due to environmental concerns. The management of MSW requires proper infrastructure, maintenance and upgrade for all activities. The energy crisis and environmental degradation are currently two vital issues for globalsustainable development. This paper presents the study of MSW as a potential source of renewable energy, based on the characteristics of the MSW. The waste generated composition and its physical and chemical properties analysis can help in decision making on which method of energy recovery can be utilized. The studied methods include thermal treatment (incineration, co-combustion, pyrolysis and gasification), composting technologies, anaerobic digestion plus composting and etc. The issue of the technical and financial viabilities of future MSW waste-to-energy systems remains very much significant as renewable energy generation.

municipal solid waste, environment, energy recovery