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Carbon and life cycle implications of thermal recovery from the organic fractions of municipal waste

  • LCA OF WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this research was to determine the optimum way of recovering energy from the biodegradable fractions of municipal waste. A part-life cycle study was carried out on the following wastes: paper, food waste, garden waste, wood, non-recyclable mixed municipal waste and refuse-derived fuel. The energy recovery processes considered were incineration, gasification, combustion in dedicated plant, anaerobic digestion and combustion in a cement kiln.

Methods

The life cycle assessment (LCA) was carried out using WRATE, an LCA tool designed specifically for waste management studies. Additional information on waste composition, waste collection and the performance of the energy recovery processes was obtained from a number of UK-based sources. The results take account of the energy displaced by the waste to energy processes and also the benefits obtained by the associated recycling of digestates, metals and aggregates as appropriate.

Results and discussion

For all the waste types considered the maximum benefits in terms of climate change and non-renewable resource depletion would be achieved by using the waste in a cement kiln as a substitute fuel for coal. When considering the impacts in terms of human toxicity, aquatic ecotoxicity, acidification and eutrophication, direct combustion with energy recovery was the best option. The results were found to be highly sensitive to the efficiency of the energy recovery process and the conventional fuel displaced by the recovered energy.

Conclusions and recommendations

This study has demonstrated that LCA can be used to determine the benefits and burdens associated with recovering energy from municipal waste fractions. However, the findings were restricted by the lack of reliable data on the performance of waste gasification and anaerobic digestion systems and on the burdens arising from collecting the wastes. It is recommended that further work is carried out to address these data gaps.

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Acknowledgements

We are pleased to acknowledge the assistance of the waste management companies, local authorities and individuals who provided data for this research. We would also like to thank the Environment Agency and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for funding this research. However, the views expressed are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of either of these organisations.

Much of Dr. Burnley’s contribution to this research was carried out while on secondment to the Environment Agency funded by the UK Royal Academy of Engineering’s (RAEng) Industrial Secondment Scheme. This source of funding is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK

    Stephen Burnley

  2. Strategy Unit, Welsh Assembly Government, Ty Cambria, 29 Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 0TP, UK

    Rhiannon Phillips

  3. Environmental Resources Management Ltd, Eaton House, Wallbrook Court, North Hinksey Lane, Oxford, OX2 0QS, UK

    Terry Coleman

Authors
  1. Stephen Burnley
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  2. Rhiannon Phillips
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  3. Terry Coleman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stephen Burnley.

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Responsible editor: Shabbir Gheewala

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Burnley, S., Phillips, R. & Coleman, T. Carbon and life cycle implications of thermal recovery from the organic fractions of municipal waste. Int J Life Cycle Assess 17, 1015–1027 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-012-0438-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-012-0438-3

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