Toshihiko Matsuto*, Nobutoshi Tanaka* and Youngjae Kim*

* Department of Environmental and Sanitary Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University

+ Correspondence should be addressed to Toshihiko Matsuto:
(Nishi 8, Kita 13, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060 Japan)

Abstract

Five Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) production facilities were studied in terms of energy balance, cost balance, and environmental impact. Mass balance of refuse components (cellulose, plastics, incombustibles, and water) were also estimated. Three facilities were found to be energy efficient, i.e. a larger amount of energy is produced in the form of RDF than the amount consumed for processing and production. Low energy efficiency could be improved in the other two facilities if drying efficiency or operation rate were improved respectively. Heavy metal contents in RDF, one of the major environmental impacts associated with RDF production, were lower than those in household combustible waste due to source separation at households, as well as incombustibles separation in the facilities. The RDF production cost is, however, almost ten-fold that of the distribution price to the user.

Key words: RDF, household waste, energy balance, cost balance, heavy metal