Assessment of the Synergy between Recycling and Thermal Treatments in Municipal Solid Waste Management in Europe

Marco Abis, Martina Bruno, Kerstin Kuchta, Franz-Georg Simon, Raul Grönholm, Michel Hoppe and Silvia Fiore
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Marco Abis: SRWM (Sustainable Resource and Waste Management), Hamburg University of Technology, Blohmstr. 15, 21079 Hamburg, Germany
Martina Bruno: DIATI (Department of Engineering for Environment, Land and Infrastructures), Politecnico di Torino, corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy
Kerstin Kuchta: SRWM (Sustainable Resource and Waste Management), Hamburg University of Technology, Blohmstr. 15, 21079 Hamburg, Germany
Franz-Georg Simon: BAM Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -Prüfung, Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany
Raul Grönholm: Sysav Utveckling AB, 20025 Malmö, Sweden
Michel Hoppe: Heidemann Recycling GmbH, 28277 Bremen, Germany
Silvia Fiore: DIATI (Department of Engineering for Environment, Land and Infrastructures), Politecnico di Torino, corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 23, 1-15

Abstract: In 2018, the production of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) in EU-28 reached 250.6 Mt, with the adoption of different management strategies, involving recycling (48 wt %), incineration and thermal valorization (29 wt %) and landfilling (23 wt %). This work was based on the analysis of the baseline situation of MSW management in EU-28 in 2018, considering its progress in 2008–2018, and discussed the possible improvement perspectives based on a framework involving incineration and recycling as the only possible alternatives, specifically evaluating the capability of already-existing incineration plants to fulfill the EU needs in the proposed framework. The results of the assessment showed two main crucial issues that could play a pivotal role in the achievement of Circular Economy action plan targets: the need to increase the recycling quotas for specific MSW fractions through the separate collection, and therefore the improvement of definite treatment process chains; the optimization of the recovery of secondary raw materials from incineration bottom ash, involving the recycling of ferrous and nonferrous metals and the mineral fraction. Both issues need to find an extensive application across all member states to decrease the actual differences in the adoption of sustainable MSW management options.

Keywords: circular economy; incineration; municipal solid waste; recycling; thermal treatment; waste-to-energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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