Transfer Stations.

In cities where the treatment and disposal site is more than 15 kilometers away from the city, transfer stations might be appropriate. Waste is transferred from small vehicles into larger container trucks so that waste can be transported more efficiently over long distances. It would be uneconomic to transport small quantities of waste to a long-distance haul. The following might be considered: The transfer station needs to be so designed that waste can directly be transferred into a large vehicle or container. Large vehicles or containers with a capacity of 20 to 30 cubic meters are typically used for long-distance waste transport to a treatment and disposal site. The design and capacity of transfer stations and storage equipment strongly depends on the waste quantity and on vehicles used for primary and secondary waste. Municipal authorities should very carefully select the site of transfer station. One or more transfer stations in each city can facilitate optimum use of the fleet of small vehicles and can take optimum advantage of large hauling vehicles for bulk transport of waste. Transfer stations should be decentralized within the city, allocated to an enclosed area, and situated in the general direction of the main landfill site.

A transfer station is appropriate when the treatment and disposal site is far from the city.

This transfer station has split levels for direct transfer of waste from a small vehicle to a large vehicle.

The timings of the transfer station should match with the timings of waste transport from the city so that direct transfer of waste from a small vehicle to a large vehicle is possible. This arrangement can be facilitated by a split-level transfer station, where a small vehicle can go over a ramp and directly tip into a large vehicle. However, if direct transfer of waste from a small vehicle to a large vehicle is inconvenient, the municipal authority could also plan a transfer station at which waste is initially deposited in a large bunker and later moved using special equipment such as a grabbing machine. The contents could then be

lifted into a large vehicle at any time during the day. Such an arrangement necessitates multiple handling but has the fl exibility to allow the transfer of waste anytime during the day. Improve Transport of Waste This step refers to the transport of large quantities of waste to treatment sites or the final disposal site. The transport of waste is the bottleneck of efficiency in most Indian cities. In many cases, the transport capacity is bound by lengthy loading times (manual loading) from storage areas. Additionally, long distances limit vehicle crews to one or two trips per day, which can be inefficient if the transport volume is small. The longer the distance to the landfill site, the more volume should be transported with each load. In case of long haul distances to the landfi ll site, transfer stations are found to be most efficient. Vehicles should be selected according to capital costs, carrying capacity, life expectancy, loading speed, local spare part availability, speed, fuel consumption, and maintenance costs. Some general considerations for improvement could be followed: Under the 2000 rules, the transport vehicle must be covered. In the beginning, therefore, municipal authorities will need to provide a cover for existing vehicles. Later, those vehicles should be replaced with a suitable covered vehicle to prevent waste from falling out. The transport of waste can be managed and monitored centrally or through a large decentralized arrangement. In either case, municipal offi cers should ensure the efficiency of the arrangement. Excessive decentralization may result in underuse of the fleet of vehicles and may prevent pooling of vehicles to tide over difficult situations expeditiously. Transport can be contracted out to private operators. The transport system must be harmonized with the secondary storage system of waste to prevent manual and multiple handling of waste. Transport capacity must be sufficient to ensure a frequent evacuation of secondary waste storage containers. Otherwise containers will overflow. A two-shift working system capitalizes the collection fleet and reduces the requirement for new vehicles. Work at night will increase efficiency as trucks will not be slowed down by daily traffic. This consideration is particularly relevant in city centers and commercial areas. In small cities that lack adequate maintenance facilities for hydraulic vehicles, combined tractor-trolley vehicles or tractors with lifting devices may be more suitable.

In large cities, containers can be transported by a hydraulic vehicle.

In small towns, containers can be transported by tractors equipped with a container-lifting device.

Technical Considerations. To prevent manual handling of waste and loss of time, municipal authorities should ensure that secondary storage containers are harmonized with the transport vehicles. The dumper placer system has proved to be very suitable in the Indian context. For long-distance transport, it is advisable to set up a transfer station and to use large hauling vehicles or containers into which waste can be tipped directly from smaller vehicles or containers. Where small containers are used (for example, for apartment blocks), the trucks need to be equipped with a suitable loading facility to allow those containers to be emptied into the truck. Both containers and trucks require frequent maintenance because they are exposed to corrosive material and heavy loads. In particular, hydraulic systems require the attention of a skilled staff. Therefore, the setup of an efficient waste transport system requires a professional maintenance staff as well. Waste is directly transferred from a community bin to the vehicle.

When planning proper maintenance of vehicles, municipal authorities should consider the following: Proper maintenance of fleet of vehicles is necessary to ensure that transport of waste is carried out without interruption. All municipal authorities must have adequate workshop facilities for maintenance of their fl eets of vehicles, including containers and handcarts, as well as trucks.

The workshop, public or private, should have adequate technical personnel, spare staff members, and a preventive maintenance schedule to ensure that at least 80 percent of the vehicles remain on the road each day. Waste transport vehicles have a useful life of 8 to 10 years; therefore, fi nancial planning is necessary to ensure timely replacement of vehicles.

Case Study 1: Delhi Transportation of MSW MCD maintains a large fleet of vehicles for transportation and secondary collection of waste from various waste receptacles. Nearly 400 trucks and 100 loaders are employed by MCD. Six zones have been privatized for secondary collection & transportation of garbage.

Compactor Trucks

COLLECTION &TRANSPORTATION

PPP PROJECT FOR COLLECTION, TRANSPORTATION & SEGREGATION OF MSW

MCD was keen on substantially improving the quality of service delivery for waste management activities for the MCD area and had finalized private

operators for collection & transportation of MSW in six selected zones namely West zone, KarolBagh Zone, Sadar Pahar Ganj Zone, South Zone, and Central Zone.

Presently 50% of the garbage generated from the city is being handled by the private sector MCD has developed GPS based tracking system to locate the position of refuse removal trucks and other vehicles to increase their efficiency and productivity 50 nos of GPS units have already been installed in private sector vehicles. MCD is paying tipping charge @ Rs 597/-to 692/- per Mt of garbage brought at landfill site. The expenditure on this project is nearly Rs 50 crore per annum. This project is to be monitored by the independent consultant of which fee will be shared by both Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Private operator. Transportation of Waste Compactors and properly covered dump trucks were to be utilized to transport the waste to the landfill site. Separate vehicles were to be employed for transportation of biodegradable waste and mixed recyclable waste. Compactor loaders directly lift the bin, unload the waste and replace it in the original position. Choice of vehicle depends on the access roads to individual WSDs. Dump trucks are fitted with hydraulic equipments, which enable them to unload waste without the help of manual labor.