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Chemical Analyses of
Refuse Components

ELMER R. KAISER

Department 01 Chemica I Engineering

New York UniverSity
'''··New York, New York

Abstract analyses has recently increased through the activities of

The proximate and ultimate analyses of 20 constitu­ the ASME Incinerator Committee [l] and the investigations
ents of municipal and commercial refuse are presented, to .. in several European cities.
gether with the calorific values. The analyses are useful As refuse is usually a mixture of components, the
o incinerator engineers as they are the basis for calcu­ proportions of which will vary appreciably, it was deemed
Jating air requirements, flue ..gas volumes, and heat and advisable to determine the analyses of the more readily
material balances. The analyses of components of refuse definable and major components. The proportions of the
permit the calculation of composite analyses of mixed components could then be adjusted by the reader to suit
refuse from known proportions. Future investigations Brc known or assumed conditions of mixture.
suggested to obtain more complete refuse data and to de­ Reluse may be thought 01 as consisting of moisture,
termine the variability of municipal refuse. dry combustibles, and noncombustibles. The major
source of the dry combustible portion originates in plant
Introduction life. The dry combustible in such items as paper, wood,
Millions of tons of solid wastes are burned annually natural textiles, vegetahle wastes, hrush, and leaves is
by communities, industries, agriculture, commercial largely cellulose (C,HlOO,). Cellulose has a calorific
establishments, and residences. At least 4.51b of refuse value 017526 Btu per lb. Proteins, starch, and sugar
are generated daily per capita in U.S. cities. Incinera­ associated with the cellulose have a minor depressing
tors to consume the reluse range from small batch-led effect on the calorific value [ 2] of this combustible but
units to large municipal plants with furnaces, each of may be included with the cellulose in this grouping.
which burns over 10 tph, 24 hr/day, by continuous firing The second major class of dry combustibles consists •

on'moving grates. The cost of the large plants is upward of hydrocarhons, fats, oils, waxes, resins, synthetics
of 84500 per ton..!ay (24 hr) 01capacity.
Modern engineering design of incinerators begins with
(plastics and textiles) rubber, linoleum, and the like.
They have high calorific values, ranging up to 19,000
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a known or �ssumed analysis and weight of �eluse. The Btu per Ib and averaging about 16,000 Btu per lb. �
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refuse determines the quantity 01air required, the heat The air requirement and the calorific value of the
released, the volume of flue gas produced, and hence the mixture 01dry combustibles depend primarily on the f
size and proportion of ducts, flues, chambers, and stacks.
" The variability 01 reluse and the lack of interest in refuse
as a fuel for steam generation have caused some delay in
proportions 01the lean and rich constituents of these two
classes. Meat and cheese scraps, for example, are a
mixture 01the high-Btu lats and lower Btu proteins and
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-{entific studies of refuse. However, interest in refuse carbohydrates.
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 Moisture contributes no heat units but it absorbs much Standard D-271-58. The· higher heating values were
heat on evaporation in the furnace. Food waste and determined by ASTM Standard D-2015-62T. The data
greens are high in moisture, about 75 per cent when Irom the analytical laboratory were corrected to the
Ir.sh. They lose moisture when exposed to the air or initial moisture content. For a discussion on refuse
when mixed with dry materials, such as paper. Paper sampling and analysis, the reader is relerred to the work
products, wood, and natural textiles are hydroscopic and 01 Etzel and Bell [3].
readily absorb moisture until an equilibrium is reached Table 1 lists the proximate analyses 01 20 samples.
with the surroundings. Hence, special precautions must The calorific values are given on both the "as discarded"
• b. taken in sampling these materials to prevent undeter­ and dry bases. The reader can readily convert to the
mined gain or 1 0s8 of moisture. moisture and ash-Iree basis il desired.
The metals are not considered as combustibles, but it The samples all showed a high loss 01 volatile matter
i. a lact that they oxidize in the lire to varying degrees on heating in a closed crucible, which is indicative 01 a
and thus produce heat as well as consume oxygen. They need for much overfire air and turbulence in the incinera­
also gain weight by oxidation, a lact that may be neg­ . tor lurnace. The lixed carbon indicates the proportion 01
lected except lor precision work. the reluse that must be burned out on the grate.
The ash remaining alter the combustibles have been The high moisture content 01 lood and greens is in
burned, together with dry mineral oxides in the incinera­ contrast to the low moisture contents 01 paper. The high
tor charge as in crockery, bricks, glass, and dirt, may be ash content 01 trade magazines and junk mail is Irom the
considered as inert. clay lillers and sizing used in producing smooth printing
papers. A part 01 the ash content 01 the leather shoe was
Twenty Sample. trom metal parts. The heei and sole composition con­
Samples 01 20 01 the more important combustible com­ tained mineral lillers.
ponents of municipal refuse were obtained from local The ultimate analyses 01 the same 20 samples are
sources at the time they were being discarded and belore reported on the dry basis in Table 2. The analyses can
contamination from other refuse could occur. The gross he converted readily to any moisture content if desired.
samples ranged between 5 and 25 lb. The samples were Carbon is the principal luel element. In cellulose
dri�d to equilibrium at 80 C and reduced in size lor linal (C,HI.O,) the carbon content is 44.4 per cent, hydrogen
chopping in a Wiley No. 3 mill. Samples 01 10 to 20 6.2 per cent, and oxygen 49.4 per cent. Oxygen exceeds
grams for the chemical analysis were taken from the carbon in weight in some 01 the samples 01 paper, which
milled product. The particle size was under 2 mOl. are principally �ellulose.
The chemical analyses were perlormed by Fuel Hydrogen is present in at least the amount necessary
Engineering Company 01 N.Y. in accordance with ASTM to burn all the oxygen in the reluse to water. In other

TABLE 1
PROXIMATE ANALYSES IN PER CENT BY WEIGHT, AS DISCARDED (A.D.) BY
HOUSEHOLDERS

Refuse Volatile Fixed Btu/lb

Component Moisture Matter Carbon A,h A.D. Dry Basis

1. Newspaper 5.97 81.12 11.48 1.43 7974 8480

2. Brown paper 5.83 83.92 9.24 1.01 7256 7706
3. Trade magazine 4.11 66.39 7.03 22.47 5254 5480
4. Corrug. poper boxes 5.20 77.47 12.27 5.06 7043 7429
5. Plastic cooted paper 4.71 84.20 8.45 2.64 7341 7703
6. Waxed milk cortons 3.45 90.92 4.46 1.17 11327 11732
7. Poper food cortons 6.11 75.59 11.80 6.50 7258 7730
8. Junk moil 4.56 73.32 9.03 13.09 6088 6378
9. Veget. food wastes 78.29 17.10 3.55 1.06 1795 8270
10. Citrus rinds and seeds 78.70 16.55 4.01 0.74 1707 8015
11. Moot scraps, cooked 38.74 56.34 1.81 3.11 7623 12443
12. Fried fats 0.00 97.64 2.36 0.00 16466 16466
13. Leather shoe 7.46 57.12 14.26 21.16 7243 7826
14. Heel and sole composition 1.15 67.03 2.08 29.74 10899 11026
15. Vacuum cleoner catch 5.47 55.68 8.51 30.34 6386 6756
16. Evergreen shrub cuttings 69.00 25.18 5.01 0.81 2708 8735
17. Balsom spruce 74.35 20.70 4.13 0.82 2447 9541
18. Flower garden plonts 53.94 35.64 8.08 2.34 3697 8027
19. Lown gross 75.24 18.64 4.50 1.62 2058 8312
20. Ripe troe leaves 9.97 66.92 19.29 3.92 7984 8869

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TABLE 2
:, I ULTIMATE ANALYSIS, DRY BASIS IN PER CENT BY WEIGHT
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, .,
I, Refuso
I,
Component
� Hydrogen O xygen Nitrogen Sullur Ash �
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1. Newsp aper 49.14 6.10 43.03 0.05 0.16 1.52

2. Brown paper 44.90 6.08 47.84 0.00 0.11 1.07
3. Trade magoz Ine 32.91 4.95 38.55 0.07 0.09 23.43
4. Corrug. paper boxes 43.73 5.70 44.93 0.09 0.21 5.34
S. Plastic coated paper 45.30 6.17 45.50 0.18 0.08 2.77
6. Waxed mi.fk cartons 59.18 9.25 30.13 0.12 0.10 1.22
7. Poper food cortons 44.74 6.10 41.92 0.15 0.16 6.93
8. Junk moll 37.87 5.41 42.74 0.17 0.09 13.72
9. Veget. food wastes 49.06 6.62 37.55 1.68 0.20 4.89
10. Citrus rinds and seeds 47.96 5.68 41.67 1.11 0.12 3.46
11. Meat scraps, cooked 59.59 9.47 24.65 1.02 0.19 5.08
12. Frlod fats 73.14 1 t.54 14.82 0.43 0.07 0.00
13. Leather shoo 42.01 5.32 22.83 5.98 1.00 �2.86
14. Rubbor composition heel and solo 53.22 7.09 7.76 0.50 1.34 30.09
15. Vocuum cleaner catch 35.69 4.73 20.08 6.26 1.15 32.09
16. Evergreen trimmIngs 48.51 6.54 40.44 1.71 0.19 2.61
17. Balsam spruce 53.30 6.66 35.17 1.49 0.20 3.18
18. Flower garden plonts 46.65 6.61 40.18 1.21 0.26 5.09
19. Lown gross, green 46.18 5.96 36.43 4.46 0.42 6.55
20. �Ipe tree leaves 52.15 6.11 30.34 6.99 0.16 4.25

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: j words, the oxygen weight is less than eight times the The total calorific value is the sum 01 the calorific
weight of hydrogen. For convenience in comhustion . values of the components and is higher than the Btu
calculations,·the hydrogen in excess of that needed to calculated from hurning the same weights of carhon, net
consume the refuse oxygen, ill - 0/8), is "availahle" to hydrogen, and sulfur.
hurn with comhustion air. All the carhon is deemed Municipal refuse is a varying mixture of the 20 com­
availahle for comhustion. ponents previously named and a large numher of minor
Nitrogen is present in almost negligihle amounts components. The moisture content is influenced hy the
except in components that contain protein, which is 16 weather, especially rain, despite the use of covered
per cent nitrogen. containers and trucks. Refuse is also sprayed with water
As sulfur is a necessary element in living matter, at some incinerators ,to suppress dust. Bacterial and
refuse of plant and animal origin will contain small enzyme action on moist refuse also alters the analysis in
amounts. Sulfur is added to ruhher for vulcanization. time.
The sulfur content of most refuse is low in comparison By way of illustration, a composite was selected
with that of coal and oil. It may he assumed that all the which was hased on proportions of the 20 ingred ients
sulfur hurns to sulfur dioxide (SO,), although some is plus others that have heen reported in puhlished literature
found in incinerator fly ash [ 2), and further investigation [ 2), [ 4) and ohtained from private sources. The moisture
may reveal some trapping of sulfur in incinerator residue. content was adjusted to a total of 20 per cent hy the ad­
.dition of moisture, to bring the moisture content into thl"
Composife Municipal Refuse range normally experienced at incinerators.
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By calculation, the reader may comhine quantities of Tahle 3 is the list of components and the percentages
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the components named, or add others, and determine the selected. Compared with older compositions, the selected
proximate and ultimate analyses, as well as the calorific group represents the current compositions more closely
values of the mixtures. The analyses must first he con­ through an increase in paper and plastics and a reduction
verted to ,the same hasis as the weights, s'uch as "moist" in ash and food waste. The reader will understand the
.or "dry." The weight of each component 'times the deci.. seasonal and regional variahility of such mixtures•

mal per cent of each element in it equals the weights of The proximate and ultimate analyses of the composite
the elements. The weights of the elements, moisture, were calculated hy use of the data in Tahles 1, 2, and 3
and ash are then totalled separately. The totals of the and previously puhlished values. The resultant analyses
elements can then he related hack to the grand weight and calorific values are given in Tahle 4.
total to estahlish the composite analysis. The calorific value of the composite is the sum of the
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TABL E 3 As tIle data In Table 4 may be converted to use for
COMPOSITION AND ANALYSIS OF A COMPOSITE municipal refuse of other moisture �nd ash contents, it is
MUNICIPAL R E FUSE of interest to know that the dry, ash-free combustible (60
per cent of the refuse listed in Table 4) has a higher heat­
Per
Cent
ing value of 8766 Btu per lb without credit for the oxida­
tion of metals, or 9070 Btu per lb with credit for oxida­
23.38 Corrug. paper boxes tion of metals. The calorific values are influenced
9.40 Newspaper greatly by the amount of fats, oils, and plastics present.
• 6.80 Mogazine poper
5.57 Brown paper
Theoretical Air
2.75 Moil
2.06 Poper food cartons As one purpose of the analysis is to determine the
1.98 Tissue po per
theoretical or stoichiometric amount of dry air required
0.76 Plastic cooted poper
0.76 Wax cartons for complete combustion; Table 5 is included.
2.29 Vegetable food wastes
1.53 Citrus rinds and seeds TABLE 5
2.29 Meat s�rops, cooked
THEORETICAL AIR REQUIRED
2.29 Fried fots
2.29 Wood
Carbon, 0.2983 x 11.53 3.439 Ib
2.29 Ripe tree leaves
=

Net H, (0.0399 - 0.2569/8) x 34.34 0.268

1.53 Flower gorden plants
=

Sulfur: 0.0012 x 4.29 0.005

1.53 Lawn gross, green
=

50 per cent of metals: 0.0685 x 1.05 0.072

1.53 Evergreens
=

0.76 Plastics Totol theoretical air per Ib refuse::: 3.784 Ib

0.76 Rags or 50.5 cu ft at 70F.
0.38 Leather goods
0.38 Rubber compositIon The total air supplied to incinerator furnaces usually
0.76 Points and oils exceeds 2.25 times the theoretical, expres's ed as 125 per
0.76 Vacuum cleaner catch cent excess air, to prevent excessive temperatures.
1.53 Dirt When the air supply has been established, the volumes
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6.85 Metals
of carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen and water vapor can
7.73 Gloss, ceramics, ash
9.05 Adjusted moisture be determined by conventional textbook methods. The ref­
use analysis provides much of the basic data needed.
100.00
The heat released per pound of theoretical air is use­
contributions from each component. As the metals are ful in approximating the air requirement when only the
partly burned in municipal incinerators, probably 50 per calorific value of a refuse is given. In the foregoing
cent oxidized, heat from that source should be added as case, the Btu released per pound of theoretical air was
was done in Table 4. Where metals are not incinerated, 1417 without metals, or 1438 with metals. These values
the heat from metals is to be omitted. are useful but are not precise for all types of solid waste.
TABLE 4 For example, the Btu released per pound of theoretical
air is 1463 for corrugated cartons and 1424 for fried fats.
ANALYSES OF A COMPOSITE MUNICIPAL R E FUSE

Proxlmote Ano�ysis More Refuse Analyses Needed

Moisture 20.00 per cent The sampling and analysis of refuse is a promising
Voloti Ie matter 52;70 field of investigation. Analyses of refuse as it is burned
Fixed corbon 7.30 at municipal refuse incinerators should be obtained, as
Ash and metal 20.00
100..00 per cent
well as calorific values for the analyzed samples. If the
• B tu /lb , 5260 + 1820 = 5442 refuse from which the samples are taken is sorted, and
the components are themselves sampled and analyzed,
Ultimate Anolysls
the data ',{ill have maximum value to others.
Moisture 20.00 per cent The analyses and calorific values of industrial
Carbon 29.83 wastes, plastics, and synthetic fabrics are needed as
Hydrogen 3.99
these materials will be present in future refuse in larger
Oxygen 25.69
Nitrogen 0.37 amounts than today. Data reported by C. A. Hescheles
Su !fur 0.12 (5] indicate calorific values up to 19,840 Btu per Ib for
Ash and metal 20.00 waste from a rubber�chemical industry.
100.00 per cent The variability of municipal refuse is a cause of much
Q F'om 50 per cent oxidation of metals. concern to incinerator operators. Engineers may base a

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 plant design on an average refuse analysis, but per­ in ,,,hich the dry combustible has a calorific value of
lonnance falls off when the moisture content of the refuse 9070 Btu ·per lb, when credit is taken for 50 per cent oxi­
rises. Moisture content is the most important refuse dation of the metals present. Additional sampling and

) variable. By weight, the water vapor produced by the

example refuse is 55.9 parts to 109.5 parts of carbon di-
analysis is recommended.
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;ide. If the free moisture is doubled, the total moisture References
increases to 75.9 parts. Air moisture adds to the total.
A study of refuse variability is a major undertaking by
[ll Incinerator Committee, Process Industries Div. (ASME), ii
Proceedings 0/1964 National incinerator Conference, ASME,
direct sampling and analysis. It may be feasible to use New York, 1964.
new methods of monitoring the nue gas for studying the [2] E. R. Kaiser, "Refuse Composition and Flue-Gas

subject, as most changes in refuse analysis arc reflected Analyses from Municipal Incinerators," Proceedings of 1964
National Incinerator Conference, ASME; New York, 1964.
in the gaseous products of combustion.
(3) J. E. Etzel and J. M. Bell, "Methods of Sampling and
Analyzing Refuse," APWA Reporter, November, 1962, pp. 2-4,
Summary 18-21. I

[4] Municipal Refuse Disposal, Committee on Refuse Dis"

Chemical analyses and higher heating values of 20 ref­ posal, American Public Works Assn., 1961.
use components have been presented and their useful� [5] C. A. Hescheles, "Thermal Recovery Systems from
ness to incinerator designers and operators has been Burning Industrial Wastes," Paper No. 64--WA/PID-l l , presented
described. A composite municipal refuse was described at ASME Winler Annual Meeting, 1964.
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