Comments on waste to energy technologies in the United Arab Emirates

Shareefdeen, Zarook; Youssef, Norhan; Taha, Ayat; Masoud, Catherine

doi:10.4491/eer.2018.387

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…However, investment in solid waste management practices such as WtE in developing countries can only obtain optimal results if the necessary background information on the energy-generating potential from the waste is available, alongside social and economic costs and benefits [50]. It should be noted that WtE is not the only solution available for dealing with MSW, and should thus be integrated with established 4R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Recover) programs [51]. In developed countries, the typical range of electricity generation from WtE is around 500 to 600 kWh per ton, while for developing countries, the range is from 300 to 400 kWh per ton [52].…”

Section: Overview Of Waste To Energy Technologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of Waste to Energy Systems in the Developing World: A Review

Nubi,

Murphy,

Morse

2024

Environments

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The global move towards a circular economy, as well as that of achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), has necessitated the search for several sustainable solutions in various sectors. Given this, the provision of sustainable waste management and electricity systems constitute a significant part of the SDGs, and the waste-to-energy (WtE) concept has recently become a key topic given that it can potentially help reduce the dependence on fossil fuels for energy generation, as well as minimizing the need to dispose of waste in landfill. However, to date, the sustainability assessments of WtE generation technologies have been limited in scope concerning the three-dimensional sustainability framework (economic, environmental, and social). Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) has been proposed as a potential approach that could comprehensively address these three pillars of sustainability simultaneously based on life cycle thinking. LCSA, as a holistic method, could also potentially deal with the complexity associated with decision-making by allowing for the consideration of a full range of possible sustainability consequences. LCSA is an analytical tool that integrates the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Costing (LCC), and Social Life Cycle Assessment (sLCA) methodologies, which already exist and continue to be developed. Individually, these life-cycle approaches tend to be used to point out particular ‘hotspots’ in product or service systems, and hence focus on direct impacts in a given sustainability domain, neglecting the indirect ones. LCSA aims for a more holistic sustainability perspective and seeks to address the associated challenge of integrating these three pillars of sustainability into an overall and more comprehensive sustainability assessment. This need for harmonization within the LCSA methodology is a major challenge in its operationalization. In recent years there has been steady progress towards developing and applying LCSA, including for WtE. The aim of this paper is to review the most recent trends and perspectives in developing countries, especially regarding how LCSA could help inform decision-making. The paper also analyses the LCSA literature to set out the theoretical and practical challenges behind integrating the three methods (LCA, LCC, and sLCA). The review was conducted via a search of keywords such as LCSA, waste, and energy in the Web of Science databases, resulting in the selection of 187 publications written in English. Of those, 13 articles operationalized LCSA in specific waste and WtE related case studies. The review provides a review of the application of LCSA for researchers, technological experts, and policymakers through published findings and identifies perspectives on new research. These include uncertainty, subjectivity in weighting, double-counting, the low maturity of sLCA, and the integration of the interconnection between the three dimensions (environmental, economic, and social dimensions) of LCSA results in decision-making. In addition, gaps (such as the integration of the interconnection between the three dimensions) that need to be addressed via further research are highlighted to allow for a better understanding of methodological trade-offs that come from using the LCSA analytical approach to assess the sustainability of WtE generation technologies, especially in developing countries. It is hoped that this study will be a positive contribution to environmental and energy policy decisions in developing countries faced with the dual problems of waste management and electricity supply along with their sustainable development goals.

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Section: Overview Of Waste To Energy Technologiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of Waste to Energy Systems in the Developing World: A Review

Nubi,

Murphy,

Morse

2024

Environments

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“…Assemblage waste accumulated from plastic bottles may also be utilized in A large quantity of waste may soon be converted into energy due to the pressures of the high costs of energy resources and existing resources. Shareefdeen et al [1] investigated waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies in the UAE. Paleologos et al [43] studied Abu Dhabi's potential for a new industrial typology.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The growing waste generation rate is influenced by product consumption, the changing needs of the people, the growing population, and socio-economic lifestyles. In the UAE, waste is produced at a rate of 1.76 to 2.3 kg/day per person [1]. The use of plastic has increased the burden on MSW in the UAE.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An Empirical Investigation on Plastic Waste Issues and Plastic Disposal Strategies to Protect the Environment: A UAE Perspective

et al. 2022

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Due to the rise in waste, both developed and developing countries’ municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal systems are overburdened. The increased inflow of used plastic water bottles has rendered the situation difficult. Plastic usage in several forms is becoming indispensable in daily life, despite its harmful effects on humans and animals in general. Government bodies are eager to cut plastic usage in several forms, but the manufacturing costs and selling prices make it difficult to replace plastic with materials that are safe for living bodies. One such problem lies in the form of the water bottle. The use of plastic in water bottles is much more common in Gulf countries because of their geographical position and the scarcity of potable water. The large amount of plastic waste created by used water bottles is a very critical issue, as it has a severe environmental effect and is a hurdle in efforts to foster sustainable development and green initiatives. The present research undertook an empirical investigation on plastic waste issues, environmental concerns, and various mitigating initiatives. It further investigated the waste management system using closed-loop recycling for water bottles as an efficient means of managing MSW and protecting the environment in the UAE. A survey was initiated and distributed among the UAE population to study the feasibility of building such a system. The responses to the plastic waste issue and mitigating solutions were found to be encouraging. The statistical analysis showed a higher mean value of up to 4.47 on the 5-point Likert scale.

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Waste-to-Energy Technologies

Shareefdeen

Al-Najjar

2022

Hazardous Waste Management

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Comments on waste to energy technologies in the United Arab Emirates

Cited by 7 publications

References 11 publications

Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of Waste to Energy Systems in the Developing World: A Review

Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of Waste to Energy Systems in the Developing World: A Review

An Empirical Investigation on Plastic Waste Issues and Plastic Disposal Strategies to Protect the Environment: A UAE Perspective

Waste-to-Energy Technologies

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