Environmental Impact of Uncontrolled Sites in the Central Region of Mexico: A Life Cycle Assessment

Eloy Mondragón-Zarza, Isis Neftaly Martínez-Morales, María del Consuelo Hernández-Berriel (), Elena Regla Rosa Domínguez, Samantha Eugenia Cruz-Sotelo and Sara Ojeda-Benítez
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Eloy Mondragón-Zarza: División de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Tecnológico Nacional de México/Instituto Tecnológico de Toluca, Avenida Tecnológico S/N, Colonia Agrícola Bellavista, Metepec 52149, Estado de México, Mexico
Isis Neftaly Martínez-Morales: División de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Tecnológico Nacional de México/Instituto Tecnológico de Toluca, Avenida Tecnológico S/N, Colonia Agrícola Bellavista, Metepec 52149, Estado de México, Mexico
María del Consuelo Hernández-Berriel: División de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Tecnológico Nacional de México/Instituto Tecnológico de Toluca, Avenida Tecnológico S/N, Colonia Agrícola Bellavista, Metepec 52149, Estado de México, Mexico
Elena Regla Rosa Domínguez: Facultad de Química y Farmacia, Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas, Carretera a Camajuaní, Km. 5.5, Santa Clara 54830, Villa Clara, Cuba
Samantha Eugenia Cruz-Sotelo: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Blvd. Benito Juárez S/N Parcela 44, Mexicali 21280, Baja California, Mexico
Sara Ojeda-Benítez: Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Blvd. Benito Juárez y Calle de la Normal S/N Insurgentes Este, Mexicali 21280, Baja California, Mexico

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 20, 1-32

Abstract: The increase in municipal solid waste (MSW) generation and its inefficient management have caused significant environmental impacts, particularly in developing countries such as Mexico. In the central region, final disposal in uncontrolled sites (UCSs) remains a common practice despite its negative effects on the environment and public health. These impacts have been underestimated due to the scarcity of studies and the lack of technological alternatives aimed at mitigating them. In response to this problem, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) emerges as a strategic tool to quantify these effects and to guide decision-making toward more sustainable management. The objective of this study was to evaluate the environmental impacts of a UCS using LCA, considering four scenarios: a baseline (E0) representing the current system conditions and three alternative scenarios (E1, E2, and E3) designed to explore potential improvements in environmental performance and to identify a feasible option under the socioeconomic conditions of a municipality in central Mexico. The functional unit was defined as the treatment of one tonne of MSW. The system boundaries included the separation of recyclable inorganic waste (RIW), the treatment of organic waste (OW) through composting and anaerobic digestion (AD), and the final disposal of mixed waste (MW) in UCSs and sanitary landfills. The assessment was performed using SimaPro Analyst v9.6 software and the ReCiPe methodology. The E0 scenario exhibited the highest environmental burdens, whereas E2 and E3 reduced the disposal of MW from 85.92% to 52.57% and emissions by 78.9%. E3 showed the lowest overall impact by integrating mechanical separation, AD, and controlled landfill disposal. E2, which employed composting instead of AD, proved to be a viable alternative for resource-constrained contexts. The results support the closure of uncontrolled sites and encourage the transition toward integrated systems that incorporate valorization technologies, which are urgently needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Keywords: life cycle assessment; final disposition; biological treatment; recycling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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