Long-term evolution of greenhouse gas emissions from municipal solid waste management
Hupponen, Mari (2023-11-17)
Väitöskirja
17.11.2023
Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT
Acta Universitatis Lappeenrantaensis
School of Energy Systems
School of Energy Systems, Ympäristötekniikka
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-412-001-2
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-412-001-2
Tiivistelmä
Municipal solid waste (MSW) management concerns the everyday lives of each of us. This dissertation focuses on greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) of MSW management with household and commercial waste. Waste fractions of mixed residual waste (MRW), energy waste, biowaste, cardboard, paper, plastics, metals and glass were included in this study. Several treatment methods were investigated from past to the future.
The main objective of this study is to provide decision-makers with information on the development of MSW management in the long-term based on GHG emissions. A secondary objective is to focus on procurement decisions, as costs are often the main reason for the selection of a waste management location, even if the decision has an impact for many years from an environmental point of view.
Three research articles, combined with a literature review, are used to answer the following research questions: ‘How do GHG emissions from commercial and household waste differ and how can they be decreased? How does an environmental perspective affect procurement in MRW management? How have GHG emissions from MSW already changed and how will they change in the future?’ The articles are based on life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology and are located in south-east Finland. Despite this, the results can be used in areas where integrated waste management is developing or where recycling rates are already higher.
Based on the results, the main impact on net emissions from household MSW management were made with MRW, biowaste, metals and plastics, if the assumption of more efficient recycling in plastic treatment plant is achieved. The main impact on net emissions from commercial MSW management were made with energy waste, MRW (if landfilled), plastics and cardboard.
The results of this study reveal that net GHG emissions from MSW management decreased significantly in the study areas when MRW was directed at energy recovery instead of landfill. Emissions can be further decreased based on the 2019 situation by directing biowaste to anaerobic digestion (as has been done already) instead of composting, and by focusing on enhanced source separation, sorting and recycling of waste fractions, such as plastics. This study shows that produced emissions from MSW management will also decrease in the future. When considering avoided emissions, net emissions from MSW management can increase, especially because of MRW. Change will happen even if the treatment methods remain the same because the operating environment (e.g. energy production) is changing.
This thesis encourages environmental factors to be taken into account in treatment procurements and not just in transport procurements, which have a smaller impact on net GHG emissions from MSW management. This would help to influence to both treatment emissions and avoided emissions, which have the most significant impact on net GHG emissions from MSW management.
During the thesis, many stakeholders have been recognised whose activities have an impact on net emissions from MSW management, such as consumers, the city, the waste management company, the treatment plant, and manufacturers. These stakeholders, together with a changing operating environment, must be considered when taking a wider perspective on GHG emissions.
The main objective of this study is to provide decision-makers with information on the development of MSW management in the long-term based on GHG emissions. A secondary objective is to focus on procurement decisions, as costs are often the main reason for the selection of a waste management location, even if the decision has an impact for many years from an environmental point of view.
Three research articles, combined with a literature review, are used to answer the following research questions: ‘How do GHG emissions from commercial and household waste differ and how can they be decreased? How does an environmental perspective affect procurement in MRW management? How have GHG emissions from MSW already changed and how will they change in the future?’ The articles are based on life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology and are located in south-east Finland. Despite this, the results can be used in areas where integrated waste management is developing or where recycling rates are already higher.
Based on the results, the main impact on net emissions from household MSW management were made with MRW, biowaste, metals and plastics, if the assumption of more efficient recycling in plastic treatment plant is achieved. The main impact on net emissions from commercial MSW management were made with energy waste, MRW (if landfilled), plastics and cardboard.
The results of this study reveal that net GHG emissions from MSW management decreased significantly in the study areas when MRW was directed at energy recovery instead of landfill. Emissions can be further decreased based on the 2019 situation by directing biowaste to anaerobic digestion (as has been done already) instead of composting, and by focusing on enhanced source separation, sorting and recycling of waste fractions, such as plastics. This study shows that produced emissions from MSW management will also decrease in the future. When considering avoided emissions, net emissions from MSW management can increase, especially because of MRW. Change will happen even if the treatment methods remain the same because the operating environment (e.g. energy production) is changing.
This thesis encourages environmental factors to be taken into account in treatment procurements and not just in transport procurements, which have a smaller impact on net GHG emissions from MSW management. This would help to influence to both treatment emissions and avoided emissions, which have the most significant impact on net GHG emissions from MSW management.
During the thesis, many stakeholders have been recognised whose activities have an impact on net emissions from MSW management, such as consumers, the city, the waste management company, the treatment plant, and manufacturers. These stakeholders, together with a changing operating environment, must be considered when taking a wider perspective on GHG emissions.
Kokoelmat
- Väitöskirjat [1102]