MMSWis awaste fraction that needs to undergo the most varied
treatment and disposal operations. It can be incinerated, processed
in MBT (Mechanical Biological Treatment) or it can be disposed of
directly by landfilling, even if this option is in contrast with the
waste management hierarchy (2008/98/EC). Indeed, a small percentage
of MMSW (3.5%) is directly delivered to landfill, whilst 95%
of total MMSW collected undergoes a sorting pre-treatment in
regional Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) plants. MBT plays
an important role in those countries that do not have a high rate of
separate collection because, even with lower effectiveness, MBTcan
reduce MMSW biological reactivity and mass, before disposal. MBT
plants separate the following fractions: (1) a dry fraction (53.1% of
the MBT input) of RDF, which is sent to Waste to Energy (WtE)
plants (only one located in the Metropolitan City of Naples namely
‘Acerra WtE plant’) for energy recovery; (2) about 42% of stabilized
organic fraction, mostly diverted to extra-regional landfills; (3) 0.3%
of metals sent to recycling, and finally (4) 4.6% of wastewater and
sewage sludge, sent to WWT plants