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Environmental Performance of Applying Alternative Energies to the Collection, Transport and MBT Plant Within an Integrated MSW Management System

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Alternative Energies

Part of the book series: Advanced Structured Materials ((STRUCTMAT,volume 34))

Abstract

This study extends the environmental assessment of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management strategies using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology with the objective of evaluating the environmental implications of applying alternative energies to the collection, transport and operation of a Mechanical–Biological Treatment (MBT) plant within an integrated MSW management system. To this end, the environmental implications of the use of alternative energies in two stages of the MSW management system were taken into account: (1) collection and transportation systems for the residual household waste of MSW; and (2) the MBT plant operation including the recovery of its residual fraction. As a case study, the MSW management system of the Ecocity Valdespartera and the MBT plant in Zaragoza have been evaluated. These sites are located in the Autonomous Community of Aragon (Spain). In this study, different scenarios of alternative energy supply from renewable energy sources were evaluated at each stage of the management system. Impact assessment for each of the scenarios considered the following six impact categories: (1) acidification (kg SO2 eq.); (2) global warming (100 years) (kg CO2 eq.); (3) eutrophication (kg PO4 eq.); (4) photochemical oxidation (kg C2H4 eq.); (5) abiotic depletion (kg Sb eq.); and (6) ozone layer depletion (kg CFC-11 eq.). These categories are contained in the CML 2 baseline 2,000 impact assessment method V2.05. The software Simapro V. 7.3.2 was also used. Results show that when alternative energy supply scenarios from renewable energy sources (RES) are included in both the collection system and the operation of the MBT, environmental benefits can be achieved in comparison to current state of affairs. In this scenario, the avoided emissions are greater than those generated in most of the impact categories under study. The results identify scientific and technical processes that can be used to promote fundamental changes in the management of upstream flows of MSW in MBT plants and in its operation.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: www.setac.org.

Abbreviations

Ea :

CO2-eq. emissions avoided, (t)

Eg :

CO2-eq. emissions generated, (t)

β :

Difference between generated and avoided CO2-eq. emissions, (t)

i:

MSW management system

j:

Scenario for MSW treatment and recovery methods

x:

Subsystem or activity within the MSW management system i

y:

MSW treatment and recovery method considered in scenario j

LCA:

Life Cycle Assessment

GWP:

Global Warming Potential

IMS:

Integrated Management System

IPCC:

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

LCI:

Life Cycle Inventory

MBT:

Mechanical–Biological Treatment

MSW:

Municipal Solid Waste

RDF:

Refuse Derived Fuel

tCO2-eq:

Tonnes of CO2 equivalent

HHV:

Higher Heating Value

LHV:

Lower Heating Value

tkm:

Tonnes per kilometre

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Acknowledgments

This article was developed from results obtained in the framework of the ECOURBAN project, “Methodology for energy and environmental impact assessment and the ecodesign of urban areas”, co-financed by the Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation (Spanish National Plan for Scientific Research, Development and Technological Innovation 2008–2011—Ref. number ENE2010-19850) and coordinated by CIRCE.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CIRCE—Research Centre for Energy Resources and Consumption, University of Zaragoza, Mariano Esquillor 15, 50018, Zaragoza, Spain

    David Zambrana Vásquez, Alfonso Aranda Usón, Ignacio Zabalza Bribián & Germán Ferreira

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  1. David Zambrana Vásquez
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  2. Alfonso Aranda Usón
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  3. Ignacio Zabalza Bribián
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  4. Germán Ferreira
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Alfonso Aranda Usón or Germán Ferreira .

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  1. Circe / Centre of Research for Energy Resources and Consumption, Zaragoza, Spain

    Germán Ferreira

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Vásquez, D.Z., Usón, A.A., Bribián, I.Z., Ferreira, G. (2013). Environmental Performance of Applying Alternative Energies to the Collection, Transport and MBT Plant Within an Integrated MSW Management System. In: Ferreira, G. (eds) Alternative Energies. Advanced Structured Materials, vol 34. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-40680-5_12

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