Abstract
ABSTRACT Modern society experiences a progressive transition towards less harmful environmental behavior to foster sustainability. This study evaluated the carbon footprint associated with three types of urban pruning waste disposal: sanitary landfill (usual destination), generation of electricity, and generation of heat. A study case was carried out in the municipality of João Pessoa, Northeast Brazil. The Life Cycle Assessment methodology was applied to the material and energy inputs associated with each urban pruning waste disposal scenario, and the impact evaluation method selected was IPCC 2013 GWP 100y, which expresses environmental impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. From the analyses carried out herein, it was concluded that the current practice (sanitary landfilling) presented the highest carbon footprint within the studied scenarios. The best scenario was the utilization of urban pruning waste for the generation of electricity, which presented a negative carbon footprint (avoided emissions).
Highlights
Municipal solid waste (MSW) originates from domestic activities and urban cleaning, and there are significant issues related to its composition, collection, transference, and disposal
This study evaluated the carbon footprint associated with three types of urban pruning waste disposal: sanitary landfill, generation of electricity, and generation of heat
The Life Cycle Assessment methodology was applied to the material and energy inputs associated with each urban pruning waste disposal scenario, and the impact evaluation method selected was IPCC 2013 GWP 100y, which expresses environmental impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions
Summary
Municipal solid waste (MSW) originates from domestic activities and urban cleaning, and there are significant issues related to its composition, collection, transference, and disposal. The situation in some developing countries can be exasperating due to insufficient financial resources and lack of infrastructure, among other reasons, and this causes environmental and healthrelated problems (Srivastava et al, 2015). In Brazil, 60% of cities still dispose of waste in non-regulated landfills due to the lack of appropriate policies (Leme et al, 2014), but Brazil’s “new” national policy on solid waste (established in 2010) brings challenges and opportunities, setting the stage for opportunities and lessons to be learned (Jabbour et al 2014). Urban waste generation and management are still a critical global problem, and a frequently unrecognized environmental issue revolves around urban waste generation, especially in Brazilian cities (Jabbour et al 2014). An effective strategy for the management and treatment of MSW should consider economic and environmental viewpoints simultaneously, whenever possible (Palacio et al, 2019)
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