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Evaluation of municipal solid waste management performance by material flow analysis: Theoretical approach and case
Lucio Zaccariello1, Raffaele Cremiato2, Maria Laura Mastellone3
1Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Second University of Naples, Caserta, Italy Athena srl - Academic spin-off, Caserta, Italy.
Summary
A waste management plan uses material flow analysis to optimize waste strategies, increasing recycling and energy recovery. This approach quantifies efficiency, guiding sustainable waste diversion from landfills.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Waste Management Engineering
- Resource Management
Background:
- Effective waste management plans are crucial for achieving sustainability targets.
- Environmental policies and regulations necessitate realistic and monitored waste management objectives.
- Measuring the efficiency of waste management systems requires robust indicators.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define waste management strategies and methods for achieving specific targets.
- To establish and quantify efficiency indicators for waste management systems.
- To conduct a material flow analysis for a case study to evaluate waste management performance.
Main Methods:
- Development of a material flow analysis (MFA) encompassing waste collection, processing, and disposal.
- Quantification of efficiency indicators based on MFA data.
- Economic balance calculation to determine waste management gate fees.
Main Results:
- Material flow analysis quantified materials sent to recycling, landfilling, and waste-to-energy.
- Sorting residual waste was found to increase the amount of secondary materials.
- Energy recovery from low-grade waste maximized landfill diversion with minimal hazardous ash.
Conclusions:
- Material flow analysis is effective for evaluating waste management system efficiency.
- Waste sorting and energy recovery are key strategies for maximizing resource utilization and minimizing landfill.
- Preliminary economic analysis provided gate fee ranges, highlighting separate collection costs.
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