Life-cycle assessment for municipal waste management systems

Abstract

One of the important tasks of the environmental policy of the Russian Federation is to implement an integrated regional waste management system through the active involvement of production and consumption waste in the economic turnover, the use of environmentally sound recycling methods, the solution of environmental problems related to waste management and resource conservation. Environmental assessment of the existing municipal waste management system is carried out by analyzing the environmental impact and alternative waste management scenarios in order to develop an integrated waste management system for Irkutsk region. Modelling of production and consumption waste flows and their potential impact on the environment was performed. The method of material flow analysis using STAN software was used to estimate the fractional composition of waste. The method of life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to determine the environmental indicators, using the EASETECH software package, which allows for creating various scenarios of environmental impacts, comparing them and choosing the most optimal and environmentally safe one. The modelling of alternative future waste management scenarios for Irkutsk Region showed that all alternatives can improve the current waste management system, which primarily involves landfilling in an uncontrolled landfill without environmental measures. Construction of a new landfill with gas disposal and leachate treatment is a significant improvement, and recycling of secondary raw materials can reduce the environmental pressure. From an environmental point of view, the current waste disposal system is not efficient. Uncontrolled landfill is the main impact on global warming. Although a new landfill could significantly reduce this impact, it is worth reconsidering the waste management systems paying more attention to recycling rather than to landfilling.