Evaluation of the anaerobic digestion of the organic fraction of solid waste produced at the largest Wholesale Central Market of Mexico

Anaerobic digestion (AD) has the opportunity to be an integral part of the solution to two of the most pressing environmental concerns of Mexico City, i.e., waste management and renewable energy. The feasibility of starting-up an industrial size AD plant, as well as evaluating uses of biogas and digestate produced is explored. A pilot-plant scale continuously stirred tank reactor was built to determine the feasibility of using as a feedstock the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) from the Wholesale Central Market (CEDA). The AD plant is expected to improve local environmental conditions, create jobs, and generate electricity. Moreover, AD seems to be an efficient method for the degradation of the OFMSW from CEDA, with emphasis on the characterization of digestate and the optimum production of biogas. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 103rd Air and Waste Management Association Annual Conference and Exhibition (Calgary, Alberta, Canada 6/22-25/2010).