Municipal solid waste has become a major problem in every country in terms of public health
and environmental damage. As a developing country, Sri Lanka too faces the same challenge
not only through public health and environmental damage, but also in finding an affordable
yet effective technology, which is socially and economically acceptable. Municipal Solid
Waste (MSW) is qualitatively heterogeneous. Therefore it is difficult to find a unique
solution for proper treatment, i.e. the solution is always an integrated one, which consists of
sorting, biological/thermal/chemical treatment, recycling and land filling." However
quantification and characterization of solid waste in a given area are important factors prior to
selecting the suitable technology. Therefore, it is required to find waste quantity,
composition, density, moisture content, annual growth rate of waste generation and calorific
value of waste etc. in a given area. In Sri Lanka, moisture content and organic fraction being
reasonably high, and lack of high thermal value materials in the solid waste stream have lead
to an overall low calorific value of MSW. The general practice for handling the MSW is low
rate composting systems. Most have failed due to poor process management, lack of
knowledge of proper operation (feedstock formulation, process control, end point indicators),
poor product quality, long lead-time, weaker community participation and lack of public
awareness. In all systems existing at present bad odour and leachate are unsolved issues.
These systems have largely been controlled by default rather than by design. Thus, losing
public confidence on composting is inevitable
