Volume 13, Issue 2 (6-2025)
jmsthums 2025, 13(2): 26-39 |
Back to browse issues page
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
Rezaei M, Rahimi S. Comparison of environmental effects of different municipal waste management options using life cycle assessment (case study: Varamin city). jmsthums 2025; 13 (2) :26-39
URL: http://jms.thums.ac.ir/article-1-1413-en.html
URL: http://jms.thums.ac.ir/article-1-1413-en.html
1- Vice Chancellery of Health, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
2- Department of Basic Sciences, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran
2- Department of Basic Sciences, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran
Abstract: (15 Views)
Background & Aim: Population growth, increased consumption, and waste generation are major concerns for human societies. Without proper management, these factors can have adverse effects on the environment and human health. This study aimed to evaluate the environmental impacts of various municipal waste management options using the life cycle assessment (LCA) method and identify the most suitable management scenario.
Methods: In this study, Ecoinvent 3.6 (2019) and SimaPro 9.0.0.48 software were used. The effects of recycling rates on the scenarios were analyzed using sensitivity analysis. The proposed scenarios were as follows: Scenario 1: Composting and landfill disposal, Scenario 2: Material recovery facilities (MRF), composting, and landfill disposal, Scenario 3: MRF, anaerobic digestion, and landfill disposal, Scenario 4: MRF, composting, anaerobic digestion, and landfill disposal, Scenario 5: Waste incineration combined with landfill disposal.
Results: The results showed that a higher recycling rate significantly reduces emissions from each waste management system. Scenario 2 had the lowest overall environmental impact, with a global warming potential of 867.20 kg CO₂ eq./t, eutrophication potential of 0.35 kg PO₄ eq./t, acidification potential of 0.17 kg SO₂ eq./t, human toxicity potential of 1.4 kg DB eq./t, and tropospheric ozone formation potential of 0.07 kg C₂H₄ eq./t.
Conclusion: Combining material recovery facilities with biological treatment can considerably reduce environmental impacts. The findings of this study can serve as a reference for cities in developing countries looking to design and implement environmentally sustainable municipal waste management systems that contribute to sustainable development.
Methods: In this study, Ecoinvent 3.6 (2019) and SimaPro 9.0.0.48 software were used. The effects of recycling rates on the scenarios were analyzed using sensitivity analysis. The proposed scenarios were as follows: Scenario 1: Composting and landfill disposal, Scenario 2: Material recovery facilities (MRF), composting, and landfill disposal, Scenario 3: MRF, anaerobic digestion, and landfill disposal, Scenario 4: MRF, composting, anaerobic digestion, and landfill disposal, Scenario 5: Waste incineration combined with landfill disposal.
Results: The results showed that a higher recycling rate significantly reduces emissions from each waste management system. Scenario 2 had the lowest overall environmental impact, with a global warming potential of 867.20 kg CO₂ eq./t, eutrophication potential of 0.35 kg PO₄ eq./t, acidification potential of 0.17 kg SO₂ eq./t, human toxicity potential of 1.4 kg DB eq./t, and tropospheric ozone formation potential of 0.07 kg C₂H₄ eq./t.
Conclusion: Combining material recovery facilities with biological treatment can considerably reduce environmental impacts. The findings of this study can serve as a reference for cities in developing countries looking to design and implement environmentally sustainable municipal waste management systems that contribute to sustainable development.
Keywords: Life cycle assessment, Sensitivity analysis, Composting, Municipal waste management, Anaerobic digestion
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2024/12/24 | Accepted: 2025/04/21 | Published: 2025/11/16
Received: 2024/12/24 | Accepted: 2025/04/21 | Published: 2025/11/16
References
1. Awasthi SK, Sarsaiya S, Kumar V, Chaturvedi P, Sindhu R, Binod P, et al. Processing of municipal solid waste resources for a circular economy in China: An overview. Fuel. 2022;317:123478. [DOI:10.1016/j.fuel.2022.123478]
2. Richard EN, Hilonga A, Machunda RL, Njau KN. Life cycle analysis of potential municipal solid wastes management scenarios in Tanzania: the case of Arusha City. Sustainable Environment Research. 2021;31(1):1-13. [DOI:10.1186/s42834-020-00075-3]
3. Prado V, Cinelli M, Ter Haar SF, Ravikumar D, Heijungs R, Guinée J, et al. Sensitivity to weighting in life cycle impact assessment (LCIA). The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 2020;25(12):2393-406. [DOI:10.1007/s11367-019-01718-3]
4. Rana R, Ganguly R, Kumar Gupta A. Evaluation of solid waste management in satellite Towns of Mohali and Panchkula-India. The Journal of Solid Waste Technology and Management. 2017;43(4):280-94. [DOI:10.5276/JSWTM.2017.280]
5. Rana R, Ganguly R, Gupta AK. Life-cycle assessment of municipal solid-waste management strategies in Tricity region of India. Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management. 2019;21(3):606-23 [DOI:10.1007/s10163-018-00822-0]
6. Mandpe A, Bhattacharya A, Paliya S, Pratap V, Hussain A, Kumar S. Life-cycle assessment approach for municipal solid waste management system of Delhi city. Environmental Research.
7. Nyitrai J, Almansa XF, Zhu K, Banerjee S, Hawkins TR, Urgun-Demirtas M, et al. Environmental life cycle assessment of treatment and management strategies for food waste and sewage sludge. Water Research. 2023;240:120078. [DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2023.120078]
8. Yadav P, Samadder SR. Environmental impact assessment of municipal solid waste management options using life cycle assessment: a case study. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2018;25(1):838-54. [DOI:10.1007/s11356-017-0439-7]
9. Srivastava AK, Nema AK. Life cycle assessment of integrated solid waste management system of Delhi. Towards life cycle sustainability management: Springer; 2011. p. 267-76. [DOI:10.1007/978-94-007-1899-9_26]
10. Babu GS, Lakshmikanthan P, Santhosh L. Life cycle analysis of municipal solid waste (MSW) land disposal options in Bangalore City. ICSI 2014: Creating Infrastructure for a Sustainable World2014. p. 795-806. [DOI:10.1061/9780784478745.075]
11. (ISO) IOfS. ISO 14040:2006 Environmental management - Life cycle assessment - Principles and framework. Geneva, Switzerland: European Standard; 2006.
12. Mulya KS, Zhou J, Phuang ZX, Laner D, Woon KS. A systematic review of life cycle assessment of solid waste management: Methodological trends and prospects. Science of The Total Environment. 2022;831:154903. [DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154903]
13. Paul PP, Bari QH, Saju JA, Islam MR, editors. Life cycle assessment of municipal solid waste management in Khulna city of Bangladesh. AIP Conference Proceedings; 2025: AIP Publishing LLC. [DOI:10.1063/5.0247428]
14. Sharma A, Ganguly R, Gupta AK. Life cycle assessment of municipal solid waste generated from hilly cities in India-A case study. Heliyon. 2023;9(11). [DOI:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21575]
15. Hoornweg D, Bhada-Tata P. What a waste: a global review of solid waste management. 2012. [DOI:10.1596/17388]
16. Zarea MA, Moazed H, Ahmadmoazzam M, Malekghasemi S, Jaafarzadeh N. Life cycle assessment for municipal solid waste management: a case study from Ahvaz, Iran. Environmental monitoring and assessment. 2019;191(3):131. [DOI:10.1007/s10661-019-7273-y]
17. Liu M, Tan Z, Fan X, Chang Y, Wang L, Yin X. Application of life cycle assessment for municipal solid waste management options in Hohhot, People's Republic of China. Waste Management & Research. 2021;39(1):63-72. [DOI:10.1177/0734242X20959709]
18. Lakiotia EN, Moustakas KG, Komilisc DP, Domopouloua AE, Karayannisa VG. Sustainable solid waste management: Socio-economic considerations. Chem Eng. 2017;56:661-6
19. Thushari I, Vicheanteab J, Janjaroen D. Material flow analysis and life cycle assessment of solid waste management in urban green areas, Thailand. Sustainable Environment Research. 2020;30(1):21. [DOI:10.1186/s42834-020-00057-5]
20. Mannheim V. Perspective: Comparison of end-of-life scenarios of municipal solid waste from viewpoint of life cycle assessment. Frontiers in Built Environment. 2022;8:991589. [DOI:10.3389/fbuil.2022.991589]
21. Rahimi F, Atabi F, Nouri J, Omrani G. Using life cycle assessment method for selecting optimal waste management system in Tehran city. Journal of Environmental Health and Sustainable Development. 2019. [DOI:10.18502/jehsd.v4i4.2019]
22. FAZIO S, VACCARI L, MATHIEUX F. EPLCA-European Platform on Life Cycle Assessment. 2016
23. Cheniti H, Kerboua K, Sekiou O, Aouissi HA, Benselhoub A, Mansouri R, et al. Life Cycle Assessment of Municipal Solid Waste Management within Open Dumping and Landfilling Contexts: A Strategic Analysis and Planning Responses Applicable to Algeria. Sustainability. 2024;16(16):6930. [DOI:10.3390/su16166930]
24. Lodato C, Tonini D, Damgaard A, Fruergaard Astrup T. A process-oriented life-cycle assessment (LCA) model for environmental and resource-related technologies (EASETECH). The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 2020;25(1):73-88. [DOI:10.1007/s11367-019-01665-z]
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Designed & Developed by : Yektaweb