A Study on Waste Management at Langadiyawas Landfill, Jaipur: Feasibility of Plasma Arc Gasification

Abstract

The landfill situation in Langadiyawas, located in Jaipur, Rajasthan, faces issues relating to an excess of municipal solid waste (MSW) generation, improper dumping, and environmental damage. Its excess waste breakdown has resulted in waste production of 500 tonnes a day which leads to the Langadiyawas dump site as the primary disposal site. In turn, the overcapacity of landfills has resulted in groundwater pollution, air quality deterioration, and methane gas release. An incineration facility to convert waste to energy (WTE) is planned to be built by the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) on site, however, Plasma Arc Gasification (PAG) proves to be a cleaner and more efficient source. The goal of this study is to assess the viability of PAG implemented in Langadiyawas, focusing on the ineffectiveness of the current waste management systems and establishing a test case for the city. This research investigates the use of Plasma Arc Gasification (PAG) as an alternative strategy for effective waste management for Jaipur. With the capacity to destroy municipal solid waste (MSW) with the most extreme temperatures available (3000-10000ºC), PAG also creates syngas (composed out of hydrogen and carbon monoxide) and vitified slag while generating clean energy. In comparison to traditional incineration, PAG yields much lower emissions of pollutants such as carbon dioxide, dioxins, furans, and guarantees the destruction of almost all waste material. The assessment examines the progress on Langadiyawas landfill with respect to its waste breakdown, site capacity, and ecological impact. Moreover, it assesses waste\'s energy potential in Jaipur estimating that over 1,100 MWh of energy could be generated by plasma arc gasification (PAG) of 1,556 tonnes of waste processed daily, which is expected to be enough to supply power to over 110,000 homes.[7] In addition, PAG has substantial profit margins, including carbon credits, creation of jobs, and sales from other remains, including synthetic oil and construction grade slag.[9]

Introduction

Background

Jaipur, a rapidly growing city with 3.51 million urban residents, generates 1700–2000 tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) daily. The primary disposal method, the Langadiyawas landfill located 21 km east of Jaipur, has been in use for about 20 years and is now overfilled, causing environmental pollution including groundwater contamination, methane emissions, and health problems for nearby residents. To address this, Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) plans a waste-to-energy incineration plant, but concerns over emissions, toxic ash, and costs highlight the need for cleaner alternatives like Plasma Arc Gasification (PAG).

Current Situation at Langadiyawas Landfill

• Covers 200+ acres; key MSW dumping site.

• Waste composition: 49-55% organic, 9-13% plastics, 10-12% paper/cardboard, 6-7.5% metals/glass, 15-18% construction waste.

• Environmental challenges include leachate polluting groundwater, methane and CO? emissions contributing to global warming and respiratory diseases, lack of landfill space, and health hazards.

Plasma Arc Gasification (PAG): A Sustainable Alternative

• Uses extremely high temperatures (3000-10,000°C) via plasma torches to convert waste into syngas (CO + H?) and inert vitrified slag.

• Process steps: waste sorting/drying → plasma gasification → syngas recovery for energy → slag used in construction.

• Benefits: high energy efficiency (71-80%), minimal CO? and no dioxin emissions, up to 93.5% waste reduction, and non-toxic byproducts.

Comparison with Incineration

Energy Potential for Jaipur

• Daily waste: 1200–1400 MT with calorific value ~6–12 MJ/kg.

• PAG can generate 21–26 MW of electricity daily, enough for ~20,500 homes.

• Provides both waste management and renewable energy production.

Feasibility for Jaipur

• Technical: Waste composition suits PAG technology.

• Economic: Estimated capital cost ?500–750 crore; revenue from electricity sales, slag construction materials, and possible government incentives.

• Environmental: Reduces landfill use by 80–90%, cuts methane emissions, prevents leachate pollution, and reduces particulate emissions.

• Infrastructure Needs: Waste segregation facilities, a 5–10 MW plasma reactor at Langadiyawas, syngas utilization systems, and slag handling units.

Conclusion

Langadiyawas landfill crisis necessitates an immediate and sustainable solution to waste management. Plasma Arc Gasification provides a workable alternative that has the potential to minimize landfill dependence, produce clean energy, and reduce environmental effects. The analysis of feasibility indicates that the implementation of PAG in Jaipur is economically and technically feasible with adequate funding, regulatory encouragement, and stakeholder participation. This study suggests adopting a phased-in approach, first with a pilot project, followed by a complete waste-to-energy plant. Such successful implementation will make Jaipur a model city for sustainable solid waste management for India.

References

[1] Jaipur Municipal Corporation - Waste Management Data (2024). [2] Environmental Benefits and Challenges of PAG: Mihai, F.-C., & Ingrao, C. (2021). Assessment of Plasma Arc Gasification for Municipal Waste Management: A Sustainable Approach? Sustainability, 13(4), 1957. [3] The Langadiyawas Landfill: Challenges and Opportunities Sharma, R., & Jain, S. (2019). International Journal of Environmental Studies, 76(5), 742-755. [4] Comparison of Plasma Gasification with Incineration: Janajreh, I., Adewuyi, K., & El-Halwagi, M. (2013). Plasma arc gasification of municipal solid waste: A review of process performance and conversion efficiency. Energy, 42(1), 975-987. [5] General Plasma Arc Gasification Technology: Yeddu, S. R., &Basu, P. (2013) Plasma gasification of municipal solid waste.Applied Energy, 108, 686-694. [6] Plasma Gasification Process: Modeling, Simulation, and Comparison with Conventional Technology Fabry, F., Rehmet, C., Rohani, V., &Fulcheri, L. (2013). Waste Management, 33(3), 710-718. [7] Environmental Impact Assessment of Plasma Gasification of Municipal Solid Waste Arena, U. (2012). Waste Management, 32(4), 625-639. [8] Plasma-Arc Technology for the Thermal Treatment of Chemical Wastes Li, Y., Huang, Z., Xu, Y., & Sheng, H. (2009). Environmental Engineering Science, 26(4), 789-795. [9] Application of PAG in Sustainable Waste Management: Heberlein, J., & Murphy, A. B. (2008). Thermal plasma waste treatment. Journal of Physics Applied Physics, 41(5), 053001. [10] Plasma Gasification of Municipal Solid Waste Mountouris, A., Voutsas, E., &Tassios, D. (2006). Journal of Hazardous Materials, 123(1-3), 120-126.

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Rohit Soni, Zubbair Ahemed Khan, Megha Sharma, Sonam Kumawat, Shyam Singh Tanwar, Deepak Kumar Bairwa. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.