A Framework for the Selection of Suitable Waste to Energy Technologies for a Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management System

Abstract

Municipal solid waste (MSW) generation has been escalated at a global scale and poses drastic impacts on the environment along with many socio-economic problems. Waste to energy (WtE) technologies have been recognized to convert MSW into useful energy and minimize the problems related to it. This study reviewed different WtE technologies according to the conversion pathways, end-products, and their applications, and assessed statistical values of these technologies based on six different factors, viz., environmental performance, suitable waste fractions, capital and operational cost, efficiency, and complexity of the technology, the skillset of the labor, and favorable geographical location for the plant. The results of this review showed that biochemical and physicochemical WtE technologies are more favorable to convert organic waste, while thermochemical WtE technologies are suitable to process combustible fractions of organic and inorganic MSW. Based on the statistical review of considered factors from the literature, the statistical profiles of concerned WtE technologies were observed. Finally, a general framework in the form of a systematic scheme was proposed for the selection of the most suitable WtE technologies for a sustainable MSW management system. The recommended indicators, methods, and models in the proposed framework were selected after a detailed review of the literature published in well-known scientific journals, and reports of leading international organizations such as the World Bank, International Energy Agency (IEA), and International Labour Organization (ILO). Moreover, the databases to extract the data for the estimation of various recommended indicators have also been presented.

Application of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Process to Select Waste-to-Energy Technology in Developing Countries: The Case of Ghana

“…The finding is similar with that of Kurbatov and Abu-Qdais [62], who reported that skills availability for landfill gas received the highest rank in Moscow. Incineration ranked second, which is consistent with the analysis of Farooq et al [63], who suggest that the low level of labour skills required for incineration makes it an ideal choice for developing countries like Ghana. The WtE technology with the preferred least capital cost was aerobic digestion, followed by landfill gas.…”

“…In Ghana, the grid availability is more efficient in urban than in rural areas, making it easier to transmit the electricity produced by the incineration plant. On the other hand, biochemical technologies, such as anaerobic digestion, which are suitable for rural areas (e.g., [63]) with inadequate grid availability, can make energy delivery very challenging.…”

“…The first step defines and states the objective of the problem, which is selecting the appropriate waste-to-energy technology option for Ghana. The second step is to decompose the objectives into three main criteria, namely environmental, technical, and socio-economic [59,62,63]. The third step further divides the main criteria into nine subcriteria that provide additional details of the criteria (see Table 4).…”

“…Refers to the WtE technology that is advanced technology and requires high skill level of labour (e.g., [59,63])…”

An Investigation of Waste Management Practice in a South African Township: A Case Study of Ekuphumleni Township, Ndlambe Municipality

“…Mir [48] aver that the population must accept a waste management system to be effective, and [49] underscores the importance of ensuring a higher standard of living for future generations, simply defined as sustainability. Hence a solid waste management system must be socially acceptable, economically viable, and environmentally efficient to be sustainable [50].…”