The Relevance of Framework Conditions for Modelling GHG Emissions from rMSW Treatment Systems in EU

Apart from landfilling, there are two main technologies in order to treat residual municipal solid waste (rMSW): thermal treatment, particularly incineration with energy recovery, and mechanical biological treatment (MBT). It is generally accepted that both technologies show the potential to reduce...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Waste and biomass valorization 2016-02, Vol.7 (1), p.175-191
Main Authors: Clausen, A., Pretz, T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Engineering
Environment
Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology
Industrial Pollution Prevention
Original Paper
Renewable and Green Energy
Waste Management/Waste Technology
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Summary:Apart from landfilling, there are two main technologies in order to treat residual municipal solid waste (rMSW): thermal treatment, particularly incineration with energy recovery, and mechanical biological treatment (MBT). It is generally accepted that both technologies show the potential to reduce the emission of GHGs when compared to landfilling. However, there is no consensus about whether incineration or MBT is the more climate friendly technology. Within the presented paper, the reasons for the ambivalent evaluation of GHG emissions from rMSW treatment are investigated. It is found that the contradicting positions regarding GHG emissions from rMSW treatment mainly result from (1) different modelling approaches and (2) varying framework conditions, which influence the performance of MSW treatment technologies. Based on these findings, a three step approach is developed to define requirements for a model, which allows a robust comparison of GHG emissions from two MBT technologies and one incineration approach taking into account varying backgrounds. The three step approach reveals numerous demands on material parameters that are driven by background conditions [(1) legal requirements (e.g. thresholds for emissions), (2) markets (e.g. metal separation), (3) the population and (4) climatic conditions]. Many of the background demands call for modifications/extensions of the examined technologies. Finally, a need for (1) a deeper understanding of biological treatment processes as well as (2) models of mechanical unit processes that are adjustable to different input materials are discovered as conditions for implementing robust comparison of MBT and incineration within different contexts.
ISSN:1877-2641
1877-265X
DOI:10.1007/s12649-015-9428-6