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International Journal of Recent Trends in Science and Technology, ISSN 2277-2812 E-ISSN: 2249-8109

Volume 4, Issue 1, 2012 pp 22-33

Review Article

Green Waste As a Resource for Value Added Product Generation: A Review

Vivek P. Bhange^a, SPM. Prince William^b, A.N.Vaidya^b, A.R.Chokhandre^d

^a,dDepartment of Biotechnology, Priyadarshini Institute of Engineering & Technology, Nagpur-19 (MS) INDIA.

^bSolid Waste Management Division, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nehru Marg, Nagpur-20 (MS) INDIA.

Academic Editor:  Dr. Aher K. R.

Green waste includes foliage, plant residues, fallen flowers, garden refuse, leaf litter, cut grass, residues of pruning, weeds and other organic matter discarded from gardens and greeneries but exclude organic waste of the type obtained from municipal collections. These green wastes would land in dumping sites, or will be burned, if not collected and processed contributing to the large scale contamination of land, water and air. Leaves accumulating in the urban and suburban locations such as sidewalks, lawns, and playgrounds are not only an unseemly sight but adds to the overall problem of municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal. In India and several other countries, foliage is often piled-up and set on fire. The resulting ash returns some of the NPK content of the foliage to the soil but much of nitrogen, phosphorous, and organic carbon gets lost. The burning of leaves also adds to air pollution and global warming. Green waste when decomposes in soil may release methane and foul odors, before getting converted into humus. However green waste can be a potential resource for energy and other value added products, if properly processed. The present review aims at summarizing different processing options for green waste towards energy production and value added product generation. Green waste is mostly dealt with aerobic treatment (composting), anaerobic treatments, incineration, biomass briquetting, cellulosic ethanol from biomass, biohydrogen production, bioplastics etc.