Life cycle assessment of different municipal solid waste management options: a case study of Asturias (Spain)

Abstract

This paper analyses six strategies for managing the MSW generated in Asturias (Spain) in terms of their environmental impacts applying the Life Cycle Analysis methodology.To this end, the effect of these strategies on Human Health, Ecosystem Quality, GlobalWarming and Resource Depletion is studied. The analysed management options include direct landfill with recovery of biogas (S-0), direct incineration with energy recovery (S-1), biomethanization of the source-separated organic fraction with direct incineration of the mixed fraction (S-2), biomethanization of the source-separated organic fraction, sorting of the mixed fraction and incineration of the rejected fraction (S-3), biomethanization of the source-separated organic fraction, sorting of the mixed fraction and incineration of the rejected fraction following aerobic stabilization of the organic fraction (S-4 ) and biomethanization of the source-separated organic fraction, sorting of the mixed fraction and landfill of the rejected following aerobic stabilization of the organic fraction (S-5). The Consortium for Waste Management (COGERSA) provide data regarding on transport and collection of waste and consumption of energy, water, oil and reagents at each processes. The results obtained suggest that Scenario S-3 has the least impact on the analysed damage categories while the scenarios including landfilling produces the greatest impact in all the categories analysed. Regarding involved processes in studied scenarios, the transport produces a significant impact in the environment, biomethanization contributes to reducing the impact in all the damage categories and incineration adversely affects the categories of Human Health and Climate Change, but helps to reduce damage in the Resources category. M A N U S C R I P T A C C E P T E D ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT NUMBER OF WORDS INCLUDING REFERENCES,

A review of policy drivers and barriers for the use of anaerobic digestion in Europe, the United States and Australia

“…Whilst DST's for waste management systems commonly use either life cycle thinking, cost-benefit analysis or multi-objective decision analysis [117] much attention of late has been given to LCA and LCC methodologies as a suitable DST [118]. Combined LCA and LCC can empirically compare AD, composting, incineration, and landfilling pathways for biowaste and other organic wastes across environmental and economic factors [119,120]. Used collectively they can provide a more holistic analysis suitable for a DST.…”

Comparative life cycle assessment of different municipal solid waste management scenarios in Iran

“…Among these, the Impact 2002þ method was used due to the fact that it is the mostly used models in LCA analysis of MSW [8,30]. This impact assessment method is a combination of four methods: Ecoindicator 99 [53], CML [46], IMPACT 2002 [59] and IPCC [60].…”

“…Examples of such legislations are directives of the European Parliament (2008/98/ EC) and of the council of 19 November 2008 on waste, the best available techniques (BAT) reference documents that have been adopted under both intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) directive (2008/1/EC) and Industrial emissions directive (IED), the resource conservation and recovery act (RCRA) for proper management of solid waste in U.S., waste disposal and cleaning law in Japan, national waste policy in Australia, etc. Although different by name but all these directives and legislations generally are identical for they include instructions and limitations for prevention (in waste generation), preparing for reuse, recycling, other types of recovery (including energy) and the disposal of waste [8]. In better words, they are aimed at protecting the environment and human health through prevention of harmful effects of waste generation and waste management.…”

Using life cycle assessment for municipal solid waste management in Tehran Municipality Region 20

“…At the same time, eventualities together with landfilling produced the finest effect in all of the categories analyzed. Concerning the methods involved in the studied eventualities, delivery produced a big effect within the environment, biomethanization contributed to lowering the impact of all damage categories, and incineration adversely impacted human health and weather exchange, but allowed harm to be reduced inside the assets category (40). Yay explained that, while landfilling and incineration have been confirmed as the worst waste final disposal options, composting and fabric restoration had better performances.…”