Application of Life Cycle Framework for Municipal Solid Waste Management: a Circular Economy Perspective from...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Waste Management
• Circular Economy

Background:

• Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management is a critical challenge for developing countries, exacerbated by urbanization and population growth.
• Existing waste management strategies often struggle with policy integration and balancing economic and environmental factors.
• The concept of a circular economy offers a sustainable resource management perspective for urban planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To support urban planners and policymakers by providing scientific decision-making tools for sustainable MSW management.
• To evaluate the environmental impacts of different MSW management scenarios using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework.
• To identify the most effective MSW management strategy for a local authority in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework to evaluate environmental impacts.
• Assessed four proposed MSW management scenarios against a Business-As-Usual (BAU) scenario.
• Calculated environmental impacts based on global warming potential (greenhouse gas emissions and short-lived climate pollutants).

Main Results:

• An integrated MSW management approach (3:8:1 ratio of recycling, incineration, and sanitary landfill) resulted in the highest positive environmental impact (-121.84 kg CO2 eq./ton).
• The BAU scenario exhibited the highest negative environmental impact (250.97 kg CO2 eq./ton).
• Incineration, sanitary landfill, recycling, and anaerobic digestion were identified as contributors to emission savings and energy generation.

Conclusions:

• The LCA framework effectively identified optimal MSW management strategies and evaluated existing mechanisms.
• An integrated approach combining recycling, incineration, and sanitary landfilling is recommended for sustainable MSW management in developing countries.
• This framework serves as a crucial tool for bridging waste management policy and local action plans, advancing the circular economy.