Biochar from municipal solid waste for resource recovery and pollution remediation

Open dumping of municipal solid waste is a common method of waste disposal in developing countries, thus leading to pollution by gaseous emissions and landfill leachate discharge. Biochar, a carbonaceous material produced from any biomass, is a means to transform municipal solid waste into a value-added product, which can be used for resources recovery and for contaminant mitigation. This review presents the production of biochar from municipal solid waste. Biochar from municipal solid waste has various properties depending on the production technology. We describe the use of biochar as a green adsorbent for leachate treatment and as a permeable reactive barrier material to reduce contamination. Furthermore, biochar can be used as a cover material to reduce odors.