BRAZILIAN PANORAMA OF THE ENERGY USE OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE FOR THE GENERATION OF BIOGAS IN LANDFILL AREAS

Abstract

Consumerism is one of the consequences of capitalism, which together with population growth has contributed to the disorderly growth of waste generated daily. Biogas can be generated by several sources, including waste present in landfills, so it has been presented as a possibility to mitigate the energy needs of today's society. The main objective of this study is to present and discuss the energy use of solid urban waste for the production of biogas in landfill areas. It was found that sanitary landfills represent a technology for the treatment of urban solid waste, which has great possibilities for use, based on the efficient management of materials. Therefore, the energy use of biogas can be characterized as a source for the generation of energy and the possibility of using methane gas, which is a pollutant with a high global warming potential. Therefore, the use of biogas energy offers advantages both for public health and for the balance of the environment. However, a detailed study and project is needed, in order to identify the feasibility of the investment, possible obstacles in the adoption of this practice and future expectations regarding the energy use of biogas.