Product specific emissions from municipal solid waste landfills

This paper presents and verifies the computer tool LCA-LAND for estimation of emissions from specific waste products disposed in municipal solid waste landfills in European countries for use in the inventory analysis of LCA. Examples of input data (e.g. distribution of the waste product in different...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The international journal of life cycle assessment 1998-07, Vol.3 (4), p.225-236, Article 225
Main Authors: Nielsen, Per H., Exner, Stephan, Jørgensen, Anne -Mette, Hauschild, Michael
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accuracy
Biological properties
Cellulose
Emission measurements
Emissions
Landfill
Landfill gas
Landfills
Leachates
Microbalances
Municipal landfills
Municipal solid waste
Municipal waste management
Polyvinyl chloride
Sensitivity analysis
Solid waste management
Solid wastes
Studies
Toluene
Waste disposal sites
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Summary:This paper presents and verifies the computer tool LCA-LAND for estimation of emissions from specific waste products disposed in municipal solid waste landfills in European countries for use in the inventory analysis of LCA. Examples of input data (e.g. distribution of the waste product in different countries, composition of the product and physical/chemical/biological properties of waste product components) and output data (e.g. estimated emissions to atmosphere and water) are given for a fictive waste product made of representative types of components (toluene, cellulose, polyvinylchloride (PVC), copper and chloride). Since waste products from different processes in the product system may be disposed at different landfills where they are mixed with waste originating outside the product system, the estimated emissions from specific waste products cannot be compared with measured emissions from true landfills. Hence, the computer tool is verified in terms of mass balances and sensitivity analyses. The mass balances agree exactly and the sensitivity analyses show that different types of waste product components behave differently in different types of landfills. Emission of e.g. toluene is significantly reduced in the presence of landfill top-cover, landfill gas combustion units and leachate treatment units. Generally, the sensitivity analysis shows good agreement between the relative proportions of various types of emissions (based on properties of the waste and properties of landfills) and good agreement with emission levels that would be expected based on a general understanding of landfill processes.
ISSN:0948-3349
1614-7502
DOI:10.1007/BF02977573