Integrated Waste Management Strategy Research Articles

UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL: TRANSFORMING THE GOMTI RIVER INTO A MODEL OF RIVER HEALTH

Rampant urbanization and industrialization along the river Gomti banks have led to severe degradation of its water quality and ecological health. The disposal of industrial and domestic sewage directly into the river, encroachment upon its floodplains for urban development, and ineffective waste management practices pose significant threats to its well-being. This paper examines the deteriorating condition of the Gomti River and proposes strategies for revitalizing it into a healthy river ecosystem. Drawing parallels with the Bogota River restoration project, the study identifies key challenges and opportunities for enhancing the health of the Gomti River. It suggests a holistic approach to wastewater management, including the establishment of treatment plants and the implementation of integrated waste management strategies. Additionally, the paper evaluates the impact of riverfront development projects on the rivers ecological integrity and underscores the need for sustainable urban planning practices to mitigate further degradation. By analyzing case studies and best practices from around the world, the paper provides insights into effective river restoration strategies and emphasizes the importance of community engagement and stakeholder collaboration in achieving long-term sustainability goals for the Gomti River

Efisiensi dan Efektivitas Pengelolaan Sampah Organik dengan Komposting Skala Rumah Tangga di Kabupaten Buleleng

This study focuses on the analysis of domestic waste management in Buleleng Regency based on data from the National Waste Management Information System (SIPSN) managed by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. The background of this study is grounded on the necessity to comprehend the basic characteristics of waste in Buleleng and its challenges and solutions. Employing descriptive analysis and literature study methods, this research successfully maps the composition, quantity, and waste management methods in the regency. Results indicate that the composition of domestic waste is dominated by specific types and, compared to other urban areas in Indonesia, there are distinct characteristics in waste management in Buleleng. A brief conclusion from this study emphasizes the need for a more integrated and sustainable waste management strategy in Buleleng Regency.

Challenges and prospects for activating a circular economy in the context of sustainable waste management in Algeria

The article deals with the problem of waste management in Algeria. It aims to analyze the various policies undertaken by the government in order to be able to respond to the principles of sustainable development and the circular economy from the perspective of sustainable and integrated waste management. The analyses carried out show that the first waste management strategies in Algeria are more reactive and constitute a response to the crisis of the proliferation of waste. It is only from the year 2016 that the national integrated waste management strategy constitutes a perspective of registration of this sector in a circular approach of profitability and sustainability.

Improving urban ecosystem holistic sustainability of municipal solid waste-to-energy strategy using extended exergy accounting analysis

Waste-to-energy technologies play a crucial role in integrated waste management strategies to reduce waste mass and volume, disinfect the waste, and recover energy; different technologies have advantages and disadvantages in treating municipal solid waste under urban conditions. This paper applies the extended exergy accounting method to develop an analytical framework to identify the optimal waste-to-energy strategy from an urban ecosystem holistic sustainability perspective. In the analytical framework, urban ecosystem costs and revenues are formulated as a multi-criteria cost-benefit quantitative model. The urban ecosystem cost is divided into five categories, and the urban ecosystem revenues consist of direct and indirect parts. The direct part is the chemical exergy of the waste-to-energy plants produced product, and the indirect part includes equivalent exergy content of power generation substitution, human health risk elimination, disamenity impact removal and environmental degradation avoidance. Proposing an indicator system to evaluate the waste-to-energy strategy impact on the sustainability of the urban ecosystems and social, economic and environmental sub-ecosystem. Detailed analysis of food waste treatment scenarios of a food center in Singapore was done as a case study to illustrate this analytical framework. Base scenario is current practice that food waste disposal in incineration plant. Anaerobic digestion and gasification are proposed as potential technological solutions for on-site food waste treatment in scenario I and II respectively. In different scenarios, the urban ecosystem costs are estimated to be 71,536.01, 61,854.87 and 74,190.34MJ/year respectively, and the urban ecosystem revenues are estimated to be 135,312.66, 405,442.53 and 298,426.81MJ/year respectively. We show that the scenario where food waste is treated by anaerobic digestion outperforms both the base scenario and scenario II in terms of urban ecosystem costs and revenues, technical energy conversion efficiency, contribution to urban ecosystem holistic sustainability, and natural, social, and economic subsystems improvement, making it the optimal municipal solid waste-to-energy strategy choice.

A multi-model forecasting approach for solid waste generation by integrating demographic and socioeconomic factors: a case study of Prayagraj, India.

Projecting municipal solid waste generation and identifying socioeconomic factors affecting waste generation is crucial for integrated waste management strategies. The present research work focuses on the projection of municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in Prayagraj, India, based on demographics and socioeconomic factors, using long short-term memory (LSTM), autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), and incremental increase models (IIM). The model was integrated with nine socioeconomic variables to improve accuracy. The influence of socioeconomic variables on MSW generation was evaluated using correlation and fuzzy logic approaches. Waste generation data collected from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) from 1997 to 2015 were used to train the models. The results of the correlation study indicate that population growth, employment, and households have a substantial impact on waste generation rates. Root mean squared error (RMSE), mean absolute percent error (MAPE), and coefficient of determination (R2) suggest that LSTM is the best model to forecast MSW generation in Prayagraj, India. The R2 value indicates that the LSTM is more accurate (0.92) than ARIMA (0.72) and IIM (0.70). LSTM projection indicates that the city will have a population of 1.6 million by 2031, and waste generation will increase by 70.6% in 2031.

Alkaline industrial wastes – Characteristics, environmental risks, and potential for mine waste management

The large quantities of alkaline industrial wastes that are generated globally have the potential to be valorized in various applications instead of being landfilled. This study evaluated the potential reuse of green liquor dregs (GLD), wood ashes, coal ash, red mud, mussel, scallop, and oyster shells to control acid and metalliferous drainage (AMD). Low hydraulic conductivities (10−7 to 10−9 m/min) suggest that covers constructed from fine-grained GLD, red mud, coal ash and wood fly ash can limit the formation of AMD. Static and kinetic test leachates of pH 5.8 to 10.6 indicate that the tested materials can neutralize acidic drainage and immobilize metal(loid)s by precipitation. The alkalinity is proportional to the amount and reactivity of carbonate and hydroxide fractions with red mud followed by coal ash being the most alkaline over 100 weeks and wood ashes the least. The tested industrial wastes generate leachates with a low metal(loid) risk when screened against the Australian freshwater guidelines. However, oxyanions including Al, Cr, Cu, Se, and V were leached in deleterious concentrations ≤100 times more than the guidelines because of their mobility in alkaline conditions. The outcomes of this study highlighted that alkaline industrial wastes can be potentially used in the long-term remediation of AMD as part of an environmentally sustainable and cost-effective integrated mine waste management strategy.

Eco-Efficiency Analysis of Integrated Waste Management Strategies Based on Gasification and Mechanical Biological Treatment

Integrated solid waste management (ISWM) strategies are developed towards promoting sustainable approaches for handling waste. Recently, gasification and mechanical biological treatment (MBT) technologies were recognized as effective processes for treating municipal solid waste. This study investigates the feasibility of integrating gasification and MBT technologies in multiple ISWM strategies, compared to incineration- and anaerobic digestion (AD)-based strategies. A comprehensive techno-economic and environmental assessment was carried out to evaluate the performance of the examined ISWM strategies. The evaluation was based on the energy generation potential, carbon footprint, and life cycle costing (LCC). An eco-efficiency analysis was conducted to quantify the environmental costs by incorporating the carbon footprint and LCC results. The proposed strategies were applied for the city of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, based on local bylaws and guidelines. The analysis revealed that the gasification-based strategy had the highest energy production of 47.0 million MWh, followed by the incineration- (34.2 million MWh), AD- (17.2 million MWh), and MBT-based (14.9 million MWh) strategies. Results of the environmental analysis indicated that the MBT- and AD-based strategies contributed the least to global warming with greenhouse gas emissions of 4442 and 4539 GgCO2-eq, respectively, compared to the gasification- (9922 GgCO2-eq) and incineration-based (15,700 GgCO2-eq) strategies. Furthermore, over a 25-year assessment period, the LCC findings demonstrated that the gasification- and MBT-based strategies were the most financially feasible with a positive net present value (NPV) of USD 364 and USD 284 million, respectively. The eco-efficiency analysis indicated that the MBT and gasification strategies are the most sustainable among the examined strategies. The sustainability of the assessed systems was improved by implementing policy and legal reforms, including incentive programs, less stringent bylaws on digestate, and encouraging source separation of wastes. Overall, this research emphasized the potential environmental and financial benefits of incorporating MBT and gasification technologies into ISWM strategies.

Virtual Methodology for Household Waste Characterization During The Pandemic in An Urban District of Peru: Citizen Science for Waste Management.

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused the alteration of many aspects of the solid waste management chain, such as variations in the waste composition, generation and disposal. Various studies have examined these changes with analysis of integrated waste management strategies; qualitative studies on perceived variations and statistical evaluations based on waste collected or disposed in landfills. Despite this information there is a need for updated data on waste generation and composition, especially in developing countries. The objective of this article is to develop a data sampling and analytical approach for the collection of data on household waste generation and composition during the pandemic; and, in addition, estimate the daily generation of masks in the study area. The proposed methodology is based on the principles of citizen science and utilizes virtual tools to contact participants, and for the training and collection of information. The study participants collected the information, installed segregation bins in their homes and trained their relatives in waste segregation. The article presents the results of the application of the methodology in an urban district of Lima (Peru) in August 2020. The results suggest an apparent decrease in household waste per capita and a slight increase in plastics composition in the study area. It is estimated that each participant generates 0.124 masks per day and 0.085 pairs of gloves per day. The method developed and results presented can be used as a tool for public awareness and training on household waste characterization and segregation. Furthermore it can provide the necessary evidence to inform policy directives in response household waste issues and Covid-19 restrictions.

Combined use of compost, compost tea, and vermicompost tea improves soil properties, and growth, yield, and quality of (Allium cepa L.)

Liquid organic fertilizers are organic solutions that are a valuable choice for sustainable agriculture. In addition, these organic forms play a significant role, in integrated waste management strategies. In this study, a one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlations and principal component analysis were performed on all traits, to compare the responses of sole application of compost, compost tea, vermicompost tea and their combinations on growth, yield of Allium cepa and on soil properties. The results showed that, in most cases with fertilizers treatments, the soil pH, CaCO3 and bulk density were decreased, while soil organic matter, total N, available P and K were increased. A mixture of 50% compost, 25% compost tea, and 25% vermicompost had more desirable effect on plant height, leaves number, plant fresh weight and plant dry weight. Therefore, application of 50% compost tea and 50% vermicompost tea, it is possible to achieve an acceptable total bulb yield ton/ha, total soluble solids %, and dry matter %. While, available P, K in soil and P % in plant were raised when plants treated with teas sole or combined with compost 50%. Using a mixture of 50% compost, 25% compost tea, and 25% vermicompost tea, was a higher nutrient concentration and had a significant impact on onion plants productivity, and on soil properties.

Evaluation of waste dynamics at the local level: The search for a new paradigm in national waste management

With the global proliferation of waste, many countries are seeking new ways to effectively manage waste generation. An integrated waste management strategy often incorporates a participatory approach involving the communities in the waste disposal and management process. One key area to achieving an integrated solid waste management framework is through an understanding of the waste disposal dynamics of municipal communities. This study presents a qualitative assessment of waste characterisation, household waste management, willingness to recycle and waste management policy for a municipal region in Guyana. The surveys were conducted in municipal administrative Region 10 using a combination of a community survey of illegal dumpsites and an online survey of residents perspectives. Analysis of waste characterisation was presented using spatial mapping and distribution counts. Statistical analysis was conducted using binary logistic regression modelling. Models show several households utilizing illegal dumping grounds in response to inefficient waste collection services. Statistical modelling shows the willingness to recycle is high in the community especially amongst middle-aged women but potentially constrained by the lack of recycling facilities. The country seeks a new paradigm in the policy environment for solid waste. Understanding the challenges and needs of the individual municipalities of a country will provide the insight needed to achieve this paradigm.

Vermicomposting of anaerobically digested sewage sludge with hazelnut husk and cow manure by earthworm Eisenia foetida

Vermicomposting of organic waste has an important part to play in an integrated waste management strategy. The aim of the present study was to investigate the ability of an epigeic earthworm Eisenia foetida to transform anaerobically digested sewage sludge (SS) amended with hazelnut husk (HH) and cow manure (CM) in different proportions under laboratory condition (in darkness at 25°C0,5 0C). Two approaches investigated in the study were: (1) to find the best medium for growth and reproduction of E. foetida in different feed mixtures, (2) to analyze the heavy metal concentrations in different feed mixtures of SS-HH-CM before and after vermicomposting, and (3) to explore heavy metals accumulation of earthworms in sewage sludge with different feed mixtures. Number and biomass of earthworms and heavy metal contents in feed mixtures and earthworms were periodically monitored. The results indicated that maximum earthworm biomass was attained in feed mixture of 20% SS + 40% CM + 40% HH while the earthworm number was highest in feed mixture of 30% SS + 35% CM + 35% HH during the vermicomposting period. Heavy metals concentration (Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Ni and Cr) in all feed mixtures decreased associated with the increasing vermicomposting time. The heavy metals’ content in the feed mixtures was lower than that of initial mixtures. Metal analysis of earthworms revealed considerable bioaccumulation of heavy metals in their bodies’ tissue. Heavy metal analysis of earthworm body showed that increasing proportion of SS in the feed mixtures promoted the heavy metal content of earthworm body.

A systematic review on life cycle assessment of different waste to energy valorization technologies

Selection and implementation of effective and efficient waste management strategies have been widely considered as a matter of concern for sustainable development. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is the most common approach to evaluate the environmental impacts of different waste management strategies. This paper presents a systematic review of scientific LCA studies assessing environmental impacts of waste to energy (WtE) technologies. A systematic literature review protocol was followed to characterise and critically evaluate the published literature on the environmental dimensions of LCA studies for WtE from 1981 to 2019 in terms of software, databases, life cycle impact assessment methods, environmental impacts and source of uncertainty. The major research observations were summarised accordingly, and important insights were obtained in the current review. The results showed that the treatment of specific waste material with various WtE technologies can affect different environmental impact categories in a contradictory way. For instance, anaerobic digestion can minimise environmental consequences dealing with organic wastes in the majority of impact categories but not in ecotoxicity and human toxicity impact categories. There was a general agreement in the results about the preference of incineration over landfilling for MSW treatment. Moreover, the results of sensitivity analysis showed that assumptions in substitution of WtE products are the primary source of uncertainty. Overall, the results of LCA studies confirm the application of WtE technologies in an integrated waste management strategy. In addition, the discussion in the article provides insights on technologies suitable for each waste material.

A review of the valorization and management of industrial spent catalyst waste in the context of sustainable practice: The case of the State of Kuwait in parallel to European industry.

Industrial solid waste management encompasses a vital part of developed and developing countries strategies alike. It manages waste generated from vital industries and governs the hazardous waste generated as a major component of integrated waste management strategies. This article reviews the practices that govern the management approaches utilized in the developed world for industrial spent catalysts. It critically assesses the current situation of waste management within the developing world region focusing on the industrial waste component, in a novel attempt to crucially develop a strategy for a way forward based on best practices and future directions with major European industries. The review also draws parallels with European countries to compare their practices with those of the State of Kuwait, which rely solely on landfilling for the management of its industrial waste. Spent catalysts recovery methods are discussed at length covering conventional methods of valuable metals and chemicals recovery (e.g., hydrometallurgical, solid-liquid and liquid-liquid extraction) as well as biological recovery methods. A major gap exists within regulations that govern the practice of managing industrial waste in Kuwait, where it is essential to start regulating industries that generate spent catalysts in-view of encouraging the establishment of valorization industries for metal and chemical recovery. This will also create a sustainable practice within state borders, and can reduce the environmental impact of landfilling such waste in Kuwait.

Impacts of different biochar types on hydrogen production promotion during fermentative co-digestion of food wastes and dewatered sewage sludge

Pyrolysis and anaerobic digestion are two important strategies for waste management that may be combined for clean energy production. This article investigates the effects of 12 types of biochars derived from four feedstocks at three pyrolysis temperatures on H2 production via fermentative co-digestion of food wastes and dewatered sewage sludge. The results show that feedstock type and pyrolysis temperature significantly influence biochar properties such as pH, specific surface area and ash contents. Despite the wide range of BET specific surface areas (1.2–511.3 m2/g) and ash contents (5.3–73.7(wt%)) of biochars produced, most biochars promoted the VFAs production process and altered the fermentative type from that of acetate type to butyrate type, which seemed to have a higher efficiency for H2 production. Moreover, fitting of the results to the modified Gompertz model shows that biochar addition shortens the lag time by circa 18–62% and increases the maximum H2 production rate by circa 18–110%. Furthermore, the biochar derived at higher pyrolysis temperatures enhances H2 production dramatically over those derived at low temperatures. Principal components analysis demonstrated that the pH buffering capacity of biochar was critical to the promotion of fermentative H2 production by mitigating the pH decrease caused by VFAs accumulation. Consequently, a sustainable integrated waste management strategy combining pyrolysis and anaerobic digestion is proposed for the efficient treatment of various bio-wastes.

Comparative effectiveness of different composting methods on the stabilization, maturation and sanitization of municipal organic solid wastes and dried faecal sludge mixtures

BackgroundComposting is one of the integrated waste management strategies used for the recycling of organic wastes into a useful product. Composting methods vary in duration of decomposition and potency of stability, maturity and sanitation. This study was aimed to investigate the comparative effectiveness of four different methods of composting viz. windrow composting (WC), Vermicomposting (VC), pit composting (PC) and combined windrow and vermicomposting (WVC) on the stabilization, maturation and sanitization of mixtures of municipal solid organic waste and dried faecal sludge.MethodsThe composting treatments were arranged in a completely randomized block design with three replications. The changes in physico-chemical and biological characteristics of the compost were examined at 20 days interval for 100 days using standard laboratory procedures. The analysis of variance was performed using SAS software and the significant differences were determined using Fisher’s LSD test at P ≤ 0.05 level.ResultsThe evolution of composting temperature, pH, EC, {text{NH}}_{ 4}^{ + }, {text{NO}}_{ 3}^{ - }, {text{NH}}_{ 4}^{ + }:{text{NO}}_{ 3}^{ - } ratio, OC, C:N ratio and total volatile solids varied significantly among the composting methods and with composting time. The evolution of total nitrogen and germination index also varied significantly (P ≤ 0.001) with time, but their variation among the composting methods was not significant (P > 0.05). Except for PC, all other methods of composting satisfied all the indices for stability/maturity of compost at the 60th day of sampling; whereas PC achieved the critical limit values for most of the indices at the 80th day. A highly significant differences (P ≤ 0.001) were noted among the composting methods with regard to their effectiveness in eliminating pathogens (faecal coliforms and helminth eggs). The WVC method was most efficient in eliminating the pathogens complying with WHO’s standard.ConclusionTurned windrow composting and composting involving earthworms hastened the biodegradation process of organic wastes and result in the production of stable compost earlier than the traditional pit method of composting. The WVC method is most efficient in keeping the pathogens below the threshold level. Thus, elimination of pathogens from composts being a critical consideration, this study would recommend this method for composting organic wastes involving human excreta.

Preliminary techno-economic assessment of recovering water and caustic soda from alkaline bleach plant effluent

Increasingly stringent environmental regulations and increasing input costs negatively affects the sustainability and competitiveness of the pulp and paper industry. As a result, it has become necessary that broader strategies aimed at helping the industry to improve the environment performance whilst also reducing the operation costs are initiated. Recovering water and chemical from the bleach plant effluent streams could be one of such initiatives. In this paper, a preliminary techno-economic assessment of recovering water and caustic soda from alkaline bleach plant effluent using ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis membrane systems is presented. The scope of this work included; assessing the practicality and the economic performance of this membrane process. In terms of the practicality, the data acquired revealed that the proposed concept can only be applied to the alkaline effluents from the alkaline extraction stage, where caustic soda, oxygen, and peroxide are used as the pulp bleaching chemicals. Economic performance of this membrane system, however, is dependent on the effluent flow rates and the amount of water recovered. To be economically viable, the flow rates must higher than 480 m3/day and water recovery rate need to be higher than 70%. At this optimum effluent flow and water recovery rates, the process cost is approximately R 19/m3. Depending on the flow rates, the investment cost is in the range of R 5–25 million and the payback time is between 3 and 4 years. However, motivations of caustic recovery should be based on environmental rather than economic benefits. Mills can use the detailed information/data acquired in this study to determine whether it would be beneficial for them to implement this type of integrated waste management strategy in their processes.

English

The handling of wastes remain a perpetual problem, all construction and demolition works and activities are confronted to this issue. Many investors, clients, construction and demolition professionals consider C&D waste management one of the most essential green construction practices in support to energy efficiency. In fact, there is a growing interest in sustainable waste management as potential stakeholders are pursuing innovative and integrated waste management and environmental strategies. Sadly, most traditional approach to reducing C&D waste is considered to be unsustainable as it lacks flexibility and long-term reliability. Thus, the move to a more sustainable society requires sophisticated approach to manage C&D waste, which incorporate feedback loops and focus more on processes, embodies adaptability and diverts waste from landfill disposal. This paper review current C&D waste management practices and propose a conceptual framework for optimising C&D waste management. The study adopts a Life-cycle (LCA) model based on C&D waste sustainability measure (LCASM) to justify the need for a green approach to C&D waste management. The central focus of the LCA model is to minimise C&D waste disposal and to enhance the application of 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) concept. The study sought to determine whether this sustainable approach to C&D waste management is an opportunity or a new challenge. Recommendations are provided on how to enrich C&D waste management optimisation processes.

Exploring the Potential of Organic Waste as a Source of Methane Gas for Electricity Generation in Nigeria

Open dumps and ill equipped landfills are some of the characteristics of solid waste management in Nigeria. This paper therefore seeks to investigate the viability of anaerobic digestion as part of an integrated waste management strategy for the city of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. In order to achieve this aim, the paper reviews literature on solid waste management in the study area. Alaboratory experiment was also conducted using organic solid wastefrom Port Harcourt. From the findings, it was revealed that anaerobic digestion could play a major role towards the attainment of sustainable solid waste management in Port Harcourt. The small laboratory sample of 10 grams used for the experiment produced about 0.796 litres of methane gas, means that 1 tonne of organic waste in Port Harcourt will generate about 79600 litres of methane gas with energy equivalent of about 1592000_kj. The paper concluded that in a city like Port Harcourt where several tonnes of solid wastes are produced every day, a substantial amount of methane gas could be recovered for electricity generation. It was therefore recommended that anaerobic digestion should be used in order to boost the electricity capacity of the city whilst also improving the quality of life of the people.

Application of life cycle assessment (LCA) for municipal solid waste management: a case study of Sakarya

This paper aims to determine the environmental aspects of a less impactful municipal solid waste management system through life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. In order to achieve this goal, first, the composition study was conducted in Sakarya, Turkey for one year. The results of first step are to be utilized as a reliable data source in establishing a complete picture of the environmental performances of municipal solid waste management systems with a life cycle perspective. The functional unit of the study was selected as one ton of municipal solid waste generated in Sakarya. System boundaries included collection and transportation of municipal solid waste and its treatment and disposal by MRF, incineration, composting and landfilling methods. Data on the process was gathered from a field study conducted in Sakarya, and from SimaPro 8.0.2 literature and libraries. The data was evaluated with CML-IA methodology by the means of abiotic depletion, abiotic depletion (fossil fuels), acidification, global warming, ozone depletion, human toxicity, freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity, marine aquatic ecotoxicity, terrestrial ecotoxicity and photochemical oxidation. According to the results, while landfilling and incineration have been confirmed as the worst waste final disposal alternatives, composting and material recovery showed better performance. An integrated system (MRF, composting, incineration and landfilling) is considered as a solution towards improved sustainability to overcome the existing waste management problem. The paper showed LCA to be a valuable tool which can help governors and managers plan an integrated waste management strategy that provides more preferable environmental outcomes than the strategy suggested.

Economic aspects of thermal treatment of solid waste in a sustainable WM system

This paper offers a systematic review of the literature of the last 15years, which applies economic analysis and theories to the issue of combustion of solid waste. Waste incineration has attracted the interest of economists in the first place concerning the comparative assessment of waste management options, with particular reference to external costs and benefits. A second important field of applied economic research concerns the market failures associated with the provision of thermal treatment of waste, that justify some deviation from the standard competitive market model. Our analysis discusses the most robust achievements and the more controversial areas. All in all, the economic perspective seems to confirm the desirability of assigning a prominent role to thermal treatments in an integrated waste management strategy. Probably the most interesting original contribution it has to offer concerns the refusal of categorical assumptions and too rigid priority ladders, emphasizing instead the need to consider site-specific circumstances that may favor one or another solution.