Using Biological Solutions to Reduce Odor from Waste Transfer Stations - A Case Study of Jodhpur and Udaipur City, India

Abstract

 The waste transfer stations function as sites where waste is temporarily stored for approximately 12-24 hours before being transported to landfills. During this storage period, the waste transfer stations emit nasty odors that pose challenges for nearby communities. This research endeavors to employ a human-friendly and environmentally safe biological solution to mitigate the odor originating from municipal solid waste. To generate scientific data, the study monitored hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S) and ammonia gas (NH3) levels during the trial period, as these gases are known to be the major contributors of malodorous waste transfer stations. The trial, conducted at four transfer stations in India, demonstrated a substantial reduction in odor throughout the entire study duration. 
The recorded levels of H2S and NH3 gases remained remarkably low during the trial. This investigation concluded that biological solutions can serve as 
a secure safe and natural approach to diminish, rather than merely masking, odor-causing compounds in municipal solid waste at waste transfer stations.