Study reveals landfill mining can enhance energy recovery and chemical recycling of waste materials, highlighting its role in resource recovery.
The landfill mining and reclamation (LFMR) project is increasingly recognized as crucial for achieving sustainable waste management and supporting global environmental goals, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals related to clean energy, responsible consumption, and sustainable cities. This study evaluated the potential of combustible polymer composites (CPCs) derived from landfill mining waste for energy recovery and chemical recycling as well as resource recovery potential of soil-like fractions (SLFs). Through physico-chemical analysis and pyrolysis reaction with catalytic upgrading process, the study evaluates the suitability of CPCs for energy recovery as a solid recovered fuel (SRF) and chemical recycling feedstock. For assessing the SLFs for potential use as recycled aggregates and cover materials, total organic carbon, heavy metal concentration, and biodegradability were investigated. CPCs exhibited varied SRF and chemical feedstock qualities depending on site-specific polymer composition, while SLFs met environmental criteria for both inert waste and stabilization soil classification. The findings not only highlight technical feasibility, but also provide a transferable evaluation framework supporting ‘circular economy’ policies. Therefore, LFMR projects can contribute to sustainable waste management and energy production and provide solutions for effective material recycling, aligning with global environmental and resource conservation goals.
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Lee et al. (2025) studied this question.
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