1 / 22

IWM case studies and the use of LCA in countries with developing economies

This study explores the use of Integrated Waste Management (IWM) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in developing economies. It discusses the concept of IWM, identifies drivers for system development, and presents case studies from Venezuela, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, India, China, and Korea.

pettyr
Download Presentation

IWM case studies and the use of LCA in countries with developing economies

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. IWM case studies and the use ofLCA in countries with developing economies Dr. Forbes McDougall

  2. Sustainability is : SUSTAINABILITY Environmentally effective Economically affordable Socially acceptable a balance between the needs of theEnvironment, the Economy and Society

  3. Sustainable Waste Management needs to be : • Environmentally effective • Economically affordable • Socially acceptable

  4. Sustainable solid waste management systems can be engineered by: • Accepting the concept of an integrated approach to solid waste management • Using a Life Cycle Assessment tool (computer model) to optimise the integrated waste management system

  5. The concept of Integrated Waste Management • IWM takes an overall approach and manages waste in an environmentally effective and economically affordable way. • IWM involves the use of a range of different treatment options at a local level. • IWM considers the entire solid waste stream.

  6. Integrated Waste Management includes: BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT MATERIALS RECYCLING COLLECTION & SORTING THERMAL TREATMENT LANDFILL

  7. Optimise waste management Larger than waste management RESOURCES BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT MATERIALS RECYCLING MATERIALS RECYCLING BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT COLLECTION & SORTING COLLECTION & SORTING WASTE MANAGEMENT THERMAL TREATMENT THERMAL TREATMENT LANDFILL LANDFILL MANAGEMENT WASTE Public health issues INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT Optimisation of waste management practices RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Optimisation of resource use Waste Management evolution

  8. Study: Towards the Integrated Management of Municipal Solid Waste Study carried out in 1998 The aim was to characterize 'leading edge' waste management systems in Europe To identify factors that influenced system development

  9. Study overview • 11 Systems - not statistically representative Brescia, Italy Hampshire, UK Malmö, Sweden Pamplona, Spain Prato, Italy Vienna, Austria Helsinki, Finland Copenhagen, Denmark Saarbrücken, Germany Lahn-Dill-Kreis, Germany Zürich, Switzerland

  10. Quantitative data comparison • Differences in scale • Differences in definitions of Municipal Solid Waste • Differences in infrastructure • Different methods of paying for MSW management • Differences in accounting methodology and financing

  11. System drivers identified by waste managers • Good system management • Vision • Stability • Critical mass (scale) • Availability of funding • Legislation (+ve or -ve) • Control of all solid waste • Public opinion / Communication

  12. IWM Conclusions • Program variations are extensive • “Drivers for development” were identified • An integrated approach to waste management is being adopted at a local level, due to: 1) economic benefits 2) social pressure 3) environmental benefits • Waste hierarchy only useful as a list of options • There is a clear evolution from waste management to resources management

  13. How can we plan IWM systems that are environmentally and economically sustainable? • Overall environmental burdens • (Overall economic cost) • The tool of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) makes this possible

  14. Integrated waste management: a Life Cycle Assessment OUTPUTS Air Emissions Water Emissions Residual Landfill Material INPUTS Waste Energy Other Materials Money BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT MATERIALS RECYCLING COLLECTION & SORTING THERMAL TREATMENT LANDFILL Secondary Materials Compost Useful Energy PRODUCTS

  15. Life Cycle models: Results • Net energy consumption • Air emissions • Water emissions • Landfill volume (residual) • Recovered materials • Compost

  16. LCA for IWM in Countries with developing economies • Venezuela – Caracas and Puerto Ordaz • Brazil – Porto Alegre • Mexico – Cuernavaca and Valle de Bravo • South Africa • Saudi Arabia - Jeddah • India • China • Korea

  17. Venezuela, Caracas 1998 • A comparative LCA, that investigated the burdens associated with recycling different materials within the establishment of a new materials recycling program. • Cardinale, P. (1998). Analisis de ciclo de vida: Una herramienta de gerenci ambiental. Debates IESA. PP.34-38. Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Administración. Venezuela.

  18. Venezuela, Puerto Ordaz 2001 • Project to evaluate the environmental burden of the existing waste management system and to investigate the environmental burdens of a number of possible developments of this system. • Propuesta para el Manejo Integrado de los residuos solidos en una localidad Venezolana – aplicando la tecnica de inventario de ciclo de vida. pp107. ISBN: 980-07-7811-X.

  19. Mexico • Mexico adopted a new law in 2003 that promotes an integrated approach to waste management supported by LCA to ensure a data based decision making process. • Last year a LCA study in Cuernavaca, Morelos was completed. Unfortunately the Mayor of the city was not re-elected and therefore the conclusions of the study are yet to be applied. • Currently a study is underway in Valle de Bravo, México State, population 40,000. A waste characterisation has been completed and the LCA modelling will be completed by the end of 2004. The Mayor of this city has just begun his 3 year term so application of the results is likely.

  20. Saudi Arabia - Jeddah • A PhD student is investigating the environmental burdens of the current waste management system in Jeddah. • The aim of the project is to develop a number of alternative integrated systems in consultation with local Government • The evolution of the waste management system in Jeddah will be guided by the results of this LCA.

  21. IWM and LCA Conclusions • As waste management systems evolve, the IWM concept and LCA tools can help us move towards affordable environmental sustainability. • Using LCA is better than other arbitrary approaches. • Waste characterisation and understanding of total waste arisings are needed, to make better decisions for every waste management system. • A variety of waste management systems are required to meet local needs especially in countries with developing economies. • Limited waste management budgets make the use of LCA tools even more important to ensure that money is not wasted on systems that deliver sub-optimal environmental results.

More Related