Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated with Tree Pruning Residues of Urban Areas of Northeast Brazil

Yuri Rommel Vieira Araujo, Bartolomeu Israel Souza and Monica Carvalho ()
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Yuri Rommel Vieira Araujo: Graduate Program in Development and Environment, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa 58051-900, Brazil
Bartolomeu Israel Souza: Department of Geoscience, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa 58051-900, Brazil
Monica Carvalho: Department of Renewable Energy Engineering, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa 58051-900, Brazil

Resources, 2024, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-12

Abstract: There are environmental concerns (especially regarding climate change) associated with the negative effects of some pruning waste management practices. Converting urban tree waste into valuable products can help mitigate climate change, but it is important to quantify the repercussions of tree waste scenarios in an urban context. The objective of this study was to quantify the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for six scenarios of urban pruning waste in urban areas. To this end, the life cycle assessment methodology was applied to real data obtained from five municipalities of the Paraíba state in 2012–2021 (northeast Brazil). The six scenarios were: sanitary landfill (current practice), sanitary landfill with methane capture, municipal incineration, reuse of wood, heat generation and electricity generation. Considering the 10-year period, the sanitary landfill emitted 1048 kt CO 2e , and when methane was captured at the landfill, emissions decreased to 1033 kt CO 2e . The lowest emissions were associated with electricity generation, with 854 kt CO 2e . The municipality of João Pessoa presented the highest emissions, followed by Cabedelo, Santa Rita, Bayeux, and Conde. Transportation was responsible for the highest share of GHG emissions. Disposal of urban pruning waste at the sanitary landfill presented the highest emissions, and it has been demonstrated herein that pruning waste can be used for the production of bioenergy, with significant potential to mitigate GHG emissions at local levels.

Keywords: sanitary landfill; life cycle assessment; carbon footprint; municipal waste; carbon emissions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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