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Quantifying capital goods for waste incineration
L K Brogaard1, C Riber, T H Christensen
1Department of Environmental Engineering, Building 115, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark. lksb@env.dtu.dk
Waste Management (New York, N.Y.)
|April 9, 2013
Summary
Construction of waste incineration plants uses significant materials and energy, contributing 7-14 kg CO2 per tonne of waste. This construction impact is a notable, though smaller, factor compared to operational emissions.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Industrial Ecology
- Sustainable Engineering
Background:
- Modern waste incineration plants are crucial for waste management.
- Quantifying the environmental footprint of these facilities is essential for sustainability assessments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the materials and energy consumed during the construction of waste incineration plants.
- To assess the environmental burden associated with the construction phase of these facilities.
Main Methods:
- Data collection from five Scandinavian incineration plants (2006-2012).
- Quantification of major materials (e.g., concrete, steel), electronic systems, cables, and transportation.
- Calculation of energy consumption during on-site construction.
Main Results:
- Concrete was the primary material used (19,000-26,000 tonnes/plant).
- Steel for buildings and machinery posed the highest environmental burden.
- Construction phase emissions were 7-14 kg CO2 per tonne of waste combusted over the plant's lifetime.
Conclusions:
- The construction of waste incineration plants represents a significant environmental investment.
- Capital goods' environmental impact is estimated at 2-3% of operational CO2 emissions per tonne of waste.
