A UOD approach for assessing emissions from MSW management : development, validation, and policy analysis

Abstract

This study presents an Upstream-Operating-Downstream (UOD) model developed to quantify direct and indirect emissions from the integrated management of municipal solid waste (MSW) using a life-cycle inventory approach. The model was validated and applied at a pilot regional level with a policy scenario analysis to define economically attractive management systems taking into consideration the footprint of related processes to optimize carbon credit. Direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions constituted the major contributor to the overall GHG emissions inventory (96percent), while the contribution of indirect upstream GHG emissions was relatively less significant (4percent). Landfilling remains the major contributor to GHG emissions from the waste sector with diversion of materials through recycling and composting coupled with energy recovery having the greatest effect on reducing GHG emissions. The scenario analysis demonstrated that optimizing composting and recycling coupled with energy recovery from landfilling or incineration reduced equivalent emissions by 89 to 127percent, respectively at a corresponding cost saving of 45percent or increased cost of 21percent including carbon credit.