Non-recycled municipal solid waste (N-MSW) offers potential as a cost-effective feedstock for biofuel production; but its variability in composition and geographic/temporal fluctuations impede the integration of this feedstock into the existing bioenergy conversion platforms. To address this challenge, our team developed advanced preprocessing methods to ensure reliable, high-quality feedstock for thermochemical conversion year-round. N-MSW samples were collected from different material recovery facilities across the country at different seasons and characterized using imaging and wet-chemistry analyses. After sorting out the inorganic fractions, the remaining N-MSW samples show large compositional variations in paper, plastics, and biomass contents. Pyrolysis GC-MS analyses were used to identify the impact of blending ratios and pyrolysis temperature on the yield of fuel molecules. Such information guides the design of sorting, decontamination, formulation, and densification processes, to produce N-MSW blends with enhanced surface hydrophobicity, lower water retention, higher bulk/energy density, and improved storage stability and convertibility. This study helps to bridge the gap between heterogeneous waste streams and bioenergy system, supporting sustainable fuel production while mitigating waste management challenges.
