Environmental sustainability analysis of an integrated municipal solid waste management system: A life cycle approach

Developing countries are implementing strategies to mitigate the environmental impacts of municipal solid waste (MSW) in sustainable ways. Therefore, a holistic approach as municipal solid waste management (MSWM) has emerged to handle Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), in particular SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 12 (Responsible Production and Consumption). Increased MSW generation rates compel policymakers to develop feasible MSW management strategies to meet sustainable development goals. This study aims to assess the environmental and exergetic impacts of an integrated municipal solid waste management system by considering MSW collection and transportation, landfill site construction and operation, piping process, landfill gas (LFG) system, and electricity generation. Hotspots and major contributors within the system’s sub-processes have been identified from the life cycle assessment (LCA) perspective. Results were normalized by one ton of disposed MSW and generated one kWh of electricity by LFG power plant. Global warming potential (GWP) and exergy consumption (CExD) for one ton of disposed MSW were calculated as 1.60E + 02 kg CO2-eq/ton and 2.45E + 3 MJ/ton, respectively. Furthermore, LFG power plant’s impacts were calculated as 1.56E + 00 kg CO2-eq/kWh and 2.40E + 01 MJ/kWh, respectively. Results showed that hotspots of environmental and exergy impacts on overall system were accumulated in MSW collecting and transportation processes at 97.80% and 93.50%, respectively. This study highlighted that optimizing the waste truck routes, constructing transfer stations, and decreasing diesel use in waste trucks substantially influence the total life cycle performance of integrated MSWM systems.