Biomass Resource Utilization and Carbon Emission Reduction Potential in Municipal Solid Waste

Abstract

Under the background of global warming, waste biomass is regarded as a resource that can be an alternative to fossil fuels. Many researchers have been taking the way of utilizing biomass resources and the carbon reduction it brings as a new research direction. Municipal domestic waste (MSW), as one of the biomass sources, has also been emphasized for its resource utilization. This paper illustrates the importance of biomass resource utilization in MSW and three newer ways of resource treatment in the last decade. Then the carbon reduction potential is estimated. The results indicate that biomass resource utilization is clearly related to the current situation of global warming control. The three types of resource utilization in MSW are hydrothermal treatment, pyrolysis and anaerobic treatment, of which hydrothermal and anaerobic treatment are suitable for the resource treatment of kitchen waste in MSW, while pyrolysis can be directly used for the treatment of MSW. It is also predicted that when all kitchen waste is treated by anaerobic digestion and the rest of the waste is incinerated or pyrolyzed in 2025, it can bring nearly 100 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emission reduction. The carbon reduction potential is huge. This study provides a reference for the subsequent treatment of MSW and the prediction of its carbon emission reduction.