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• Satellite data of fire anomalies, a new approach to collate waste fire statistics. • Number of waste fire incidents continuously increased between 2014 and 2018. • Waste fire incidents per million capita per year in Sweden ranges from 2.4 − 4.7. • Design strategies for safe storage of waste and biofuels are discussed. • Recommendations are derived based on national/international experiences. In this study, NASA's VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) fire hotspots and data of the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), collected between 2012 and 2018, was integrated to characterize waste fire incidents that were detected by VIIRS and reported to MSB (DaR), detected by VIIRS but not reported to MSB (DbNR) and that are reported to MSB but not detected by VIIRS (RbND). Results show that the average number of open waste fire incidents per million capita per year (AFIPMC) in Sweden, for the period 2012–2018, ranges from 2.4 to 4.7. Although a weak correlation exists (r = 0.44, P = 0.1563, one tailed) between years and number of fire incidents (MSB + VIIRS fires), a continuous increase in number of fire incidents was recorded between 2014 and 2018. It is concluded that the use of satellite data of fire anomalies, in-combination with the use of incident reports, will help in formalizing more reliable and comprehensive waste fire statistics. Another focus area of the article is to consolidate the recommendations and routines for safe storage of waste and biofuels and to present the lessons that can be learnt from past fire incidents. The article also discusses the technical, political, economic, social, and practical aspects of waste fires and provide a baseline for future research and experimentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fires in waste facilities are a common occurrence. Since many waste facilities are located adjacent to densely populated areas, these fires could potentially expose large populations to the emitted pollutants. However, at the moment there are only few field studies investigating the impact of waste fire emissions on air quality since the unpredictable nature of these events makes them challenging to capture. This study investigated the impact of a large and persistent un-prescribed fire in a waste storage facility in Stockholm county, Sweden, on the local air quality of two residential areas in close proximity to the fire. In-situ measurements of particulate matter, black carbon and nitrogen oxide concentrations were conducted both during open burning and after the fire was fully covered. In addition, filter samples were collected for offline analysis of organic composition, metal content and toxicity. Strongly increased concentrations of PM 10 , PM 2.5 and black carbon were found during the open burning period, especially when the wind was coming from the direction of the fire. In addition, elevated concentrations of particulate heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were observed in the air during the open burning period. These results show that waste fires can have a strong impact on the air quality of nearby residential areas. • Increased PM 10 , PM 2.5 and black carbon when wind comes from direction of waste fire. • Elevated concentrations of particulate heavy metals and PAHs during open burning. • Waste fires can have a strong impact on air quality of nearby residential areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public food service organizations are large producers of food waste, which leads to greenhouse gas emissions and the waste of natural resources. The aim of the present article was to gain insight into reasons for food waste and possible solutions for lowering food waste in schools in Sweden. In order to do so, food waste quantification in school canteens in two Swedish municipalities and nine qualitative interviews with key actors were conducted. Both municipalities displayed a high degree of variation in food waste, but the common pattern was that serving waste constituted the largest fraction of food waste, followed by plate waste and storage waste, as well as a gradual decrease in food waste over time. Food waste was mainly a result of old, disadvantageous habits, such as overproduction due to forecasting difficulties, whereas new, better routines such as serving fewer options, better planning, and a less stressful environment are the key to lowering food waste. Because food waste varies from one case to the next, it becomes important to identify and measure the causes of food waste in each school in order to be able to establish tailor-made, conscious, and flexible food waste mitigation routines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twelve [sup40]Ar-[sup39]Ar biotite and four hornblende age determinations have been carried out to constrain the cooling history of the Proterozoic bedrock near Oskarshamn, SE Sweden, an area identified as a possible site for long-term nuclear waste storage. The bedrock hosts c. 1.80 Ga granites and diorites of the Transscandinavian Igneous Belt and two 1.45-1.44 Ga granite intrusions, the Götemar and Uthammar plutons. Biotite was selected from three surface samples, representing both the older rocks and the younger granites, and from three cored boreholes at nine different depth levels. Hornblende was extracted from samples at the top and bottom of one borehole and at two sub-surface levels of another borehole. Three age groups were distinguished: ⩾ 1.62 Ga, 1.51-1.47 Ga and 1.43- 1.42 Ga. In the first group, two hornblende analyses yielded ages of 1799 ± 4 Ma and 1773 ± 13 Ma, which indicate initial fast cooling after emplacement of 1.80 Ga rocks of the Transscandinavian Igneous Belt. Two biotite ages of 1618 ± 7 Ma and 1621 ± 3 Ma are interpreted to date final cooling, through 300 °C, after the youngest suite (1.68-1.67 Ga) of the Transscandinavian Igneous Belt in south-central Sweden. Seven biotite ages, in the range 1.5 1-1.47 Ga, are enigmatic to interpret but largely coincide in age with the end of widespread rapakivi magmatism in Fennoscandia and the initiation of the Danopolonian event. The 1.43-1.42 Ga biotite and hornblende ages reflect cooling after thermal heating from the 1.45-1.44 Ga Götemar and Uthammar plutons. Later events thermally affected the bedrock in the Oskarshamn area as indicated by a poorly defined biotite age of 928 ± 6 Ma and other disturbed [sup40]Ar-[sup39]Ar ages of samples bordering a complex deformation zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The storage of unsorted industrial waste (IND) fuel and refused-derived fuel (RDF) in piles at two different locations in Sweden was investigated. The objective was to assess the feasibility of waste storage in open areas for later energy utilization, and to study the physical, biological and chemical processes that occur during storage, by monitoring a number of parameters. One monitored IND pile showed an increase in temperature from an average of 49±10 to 73±7 °C, accompanied by considerable fluctuations in the waste mass interstitial oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations during the first month of storage. Thereafter, steady-state conditions were registered for about 4 months, with an average pile temperature of 77±8 °C, interstitial oxygen concentration varying from below the detection limit up to 5% by volume, interstitial carbon dioxide concentrations varying from 0.2 to 18%, and interstitial methane concentrations varying from below detection limit up to 0.5%. After 6 months of storage, spontaneous combustion occurred in the monitored IND pile. This was preceded by strong winds, which ventilated the pile and increased its oxygen content. Spontaneous combustion was also observed in one RDF pile after the same storage time (about 6 months). The leachate produced as a result of the large quantity of water used in an attempt to douse the burning RDF pile showed higher concentrations of chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, total oxidized nitrogen, total phosphorus and the heavy metals lead, cadmium and chromium than the median values in the leachate from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill and from MSW incineration residues (50% fly ash) landfill. Baling to reduce waste fuel porosity is suggested as a safer option for the storage of waste material for energy recovery purposes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Fires in waste facilities represent significant potential social, economic and environmental challenges. Although the awareness of fires in waste facilities and their consequences has increased in recent years, significant fire safety challenges remain. Fires in waste facilities in Norway and Sweden have been studied to make an overall fire safety assessment and propose measures for increased fire safety. Common ignition causes include self-heating, thermal runaway in batteries, friction, human activity, technical or electrical error and unfavourable combined storage. High-risk wastes include general, residual waste, batteries, electrical and electronics waste, and paper and cardboard. Frequent fires in outdoor storage, increasing indoor storage and new types of waste appear to result in an increased reluctance by insurance companies to work with waste facilities. Measures are suggested for fire safe facility design, operations, waste handling and storage, as well as actions to limit the consequences for the environment and the facility during and after a fire. These actions may prevent fires and minimise the impact of fires that do occur. Increased fire safety at waste facilities may foster a better dialogue between the industry and insurance providers by reducing the potential economic impacts, and limit potential social costs and environmental impacts. • Qualitative survey of fire safety challenges in waste facilities. • Statistics on fires in waste facilities in Norway and Sweden. • Fire safety assessment, ranking waste fractions from high-risk to low-risk. • Safety measures to be taken before, during and after a fire are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Landfills and Recycling Centers (RCs) pose highest risk for the instigation of secondary fires. • The RCs are facing challenges of structural over-capacities for handling of residual waste. • An increased number of property-close RCs can help in mitigation of waste-fires. • Plantation of deciduous vegetation around storage sites can prevent spread of waste-fires. This article aims to analyze the risk of waste-fires in Sweden, using the national data of fire anomalies (13,053 fire hotspots), remotely sensed by the NASA's Visible-Infrared-Imaging-Radiometer-Suite (VIIRS). Risk of fires was studied at 1,837 waste storage sites of eight different categories: (a) waste-collection (520); (b) pre-treatment and sorting sites (194); (c) middle storage of waste (229); (d) recycling of electrical items (71); (e) other recycling activities (83); (f) combustion (348); (g) landfills (271) and (h) wood-related (121). In total, 143 waste-fires at 111 waste management sites, with fire radiative power (FRP) as high as 81 MW, were detected over a period of seven years 2012-18. Data shows that landfills and RCs are two major high-risk groups for instigation of secondary fires. It is concluded that risk of wastefires at all stages of waste management chain can be mitigated by controlling the challenges of structural over-capacities at the sites, functioning up-stream of waste management chain. Moreover, there is need to establish an increased number of property-close RCs to enhance quality of waste sorting. A novel technique for the analysis of risk of wastefires, using remote sensing and GIS modeling, is presented in this article. This technique can be extrapolated for other geographical settings for the assessment of risk of waste-fires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Around former glass factories in south eastern Sweden, there are dozens of dumps whose radioactivity and physico-chemical properties were not investigated previously. Thus, radiometric and physico-chemical characteristics of waste at Madesjö glass dump were studied to evaluate pre-recycling storage requirements and potential radiological and environmental risks. The material was sieved, hand-sorted, leached and scanned with X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF). External dose rates and activity concentrations of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials from 238U, 232Th series and 40K were also measured coupled with a radiological risk assessment. Results showed that the waste was 95% glass and dominated by fine fractions (<11.3 mm) at 43.6%. The fine fraction had pH 7.8, 2.6% moisture content, 123 mg kg−1 Total Dissolved Solids, 37.2 mg kg−1 Dissolved Organic Carbon and 10.5 mg kg−1 fluorides. Compared with Swedish EPA guidelines, the elements As, Cd, Pb and Zn were in hazardous concentrations while Pb leached more than the limits for inert and non-hazardous wastes. With 40K activity concentration up to 3000 Bq kg−1, enhanced external dose rates of 40K were established (0.20 μSv h−1) although no radiological risk was found since both External Hazard Index (H ex) and Gamma Index (I γ) were <1. The glass dump needs remediation and storage of the waste materials under a safe hazardous waste class 'Bank Account' storage cell as a secondary resource for potential future recycling. • Radiometric and physico-chemical characteristics of glass waste were investigated. • As, Cd, Pb and Zn were in hazardous concentrations according to Swedish EPA limits. • Pb leached more than limits for inert and non-hazardous waste unlike As, Cd and Zn. • External dose rates and gamma measurements showed enhanced levels of 40K. • External Hazard index and Gamma Index indicated no radiological exposure risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]