The Assessment of Anaerobic Digestion Performance and Efficiency in Terms of Waste Collection

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management is identified as a significant sustainability concern. Source segregation (SS) is the most effective method of managing MSW, and anaerobic digestion (AD) is the most efficient treatment method. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of waste collection rules on the efficiency and performance of AD. The potential biomethane yields for SS-kitchen waste and SS-biowaste were calculated, determined in laboratory tests, and verified full-scale. The content of the organic fraction in SS-biowaste reached about 81 to 86%; however, regarding SS-kitchen waste, it reached almost 92%. The primary contaminants were plastics. The obtained biogas yield was slightly higher for SS-kitchen waste (136.2 m3/ton), compared to SS-biowaste (116.6 m3/ton). The pH values, acidity, and alkalinity indicated no risk of exploitation using both feedstocks. However, in the case of SS-kitchen waste, the acetic acid content was about 2.5 times higher than that of SS-biowaste. Furthermore, the acetic acid was noted in the outlet section (about 140–160 mg/kg), indicating no complete organic matter decomposition. Regarding SS-kitchen waste, the calculated methane yield reached 137.1 m3CH4/ton and laboratory tests showed a methanogenic potential of 129.7 m3CH4/ton, while at full-scale, it reached about 82.2 m3CH4/ton. The research confirmed that the SS of biowaste positively impacts MSW management by improving waste composition and increasing recycling possibilities. AD is an effective biowaste treatment process, allowing energy recovery from waste.