Abstract
Despite the improvements made in recent decades on the emission control of waste combustion plants, the chronically low public acceptance still influences the strategical choices of local authorities, who may decide to export waste to other regions instead of treating waste locally in a waste-to-energy (WtE) plant. The present paper proposes a method to identify a more sustainable solution between local waste treatment and the export of waste. To do this, two waste-management scenarios were compared: (1) an in situ WtE scenario, considering a WtE plant in a region of about 500,000 inhabitants; and (2) an ex situ WtE scenario, considering the road transportation of waste to a WtE plant located in another region. This method yields an estimation of the maximum distance that trucks may cover to balance the emissions of the air pollutants released in the in situ WtE scenario. The methodology is based on the COPERT emission model and on emission factors of WtE processes. The results show that the maximum distance is limited by the emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by road trucks. Finally, the paper discusses the results considering the energy efficiency of WtE processes and proposes alternative WtE strategies to increase the level of public acceptance.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
