Life cycle assessment of conventional and two-stage advanced energy-from-waste technologies for municipal solid waste treatment. (1st August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Evangelisti, Sara; Tagliaferri, Carla; Clift, Roland; Lettieri, Paola; Taylor, Richard; Chapman, Chris
• Is Part Of: Journal of cleaner production. Volume 100(2015:Aug. 01)
• Page Start: 212
• Page End: 223
• Publication Date: 2015-08-01
• Subjects: Life cycle assessment -- Gasification -- Pyrolysis -- Combustion -- Energy-from-waste technology; Factory and trade waste -- Management -- Periodicals; Manufactures -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Déchets industriels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Usines -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; 628.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.03.062
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-6526

Abstract

Abstract: The EU landfill and Waste Framework directives are driving new approaches to waste management in the UK, away from landfilling and mass-burn incineration, which has been regarded as the main alternative to landfilling. The objective of this study is to compare the environmental impacts of three dual-stage advanced energy-from-waste technologies, i.e. gasification and plasma gas cleaning, fast pyrolysis and combustion and gasification with syngas combustion, with those associated with conventional treatments for municipal solid waste, i.e. landfill with electricity production and incineration with electricity production. Results show that the two-stage gasification and plasma process has a significantly better overall environmental performance than the conventional waste treatment technologies and somewhat better than a more modern incineration plant, exemplified by a plant under commissioning in Lincolnshire in the UK. The benefits of the gasification and plasma process arise primarily from its higher net electrical efficiency. Highlights: A life cycle assessment of waste treatment technologies is presented. Three dual-stage advanced energy-from-waste technologies are investigated. Comparison with conventional technologies, i.e. incineration and landfilling. The two-stage gasification and plasma process shows the best performances.