Sustainable analysis of Waste-to-Energy systems in cities by eco-efficiency assessment using DEA approach: A case study of Iran's municipalities

Abstract

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management has become a pressing global issue due to population growth, urbanization, and changing consumption patterns, especially in developing countries. This study develops a comprehensive framework to evaluate the sustainability of MSW management systems. Also, the sustainability of Anaerobic Digestion (AD) and landfill systems with/without various Cogeneration of Heat and Power (CHP) technologies in different conditions using the framework in the municipalities of Iran. The eco-efficiency index, which considers environmental and economic aspects, is used to assess the systems sustainability. The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method is applied to assess and rank the performance of the systems based on their eco-efficiency indices considering parameters such as energy production, costs, emissions, land occupation, water consumption, and employment. The results indicate that the landfill and AD systems with/without CHP have the highest priority for all provinces when the food, paper, and cardboard wastes entering the systems are at their maximum and minimum amounts. However, the systems without CHP have the lowest efficiency when the share of the wastes is 50%. Although the findings can help decision-makers in improving MSW management, there may be limitations to the research, such as data availability and assumptions made during the analysis.