IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v289y2024ics036054422303414x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A reduction in global impacts through a waste-wastewater-energy nexus: A life cycle assessment

Author

Listed:
  • Mancini, G.
  • Lombardi, L.
  • Luciano, A.
  • Bolzonella, D.
  • Viotti, P.
  • Fino, D.

Abstract

This work presents the results of a comparison of three different management scenarios (one current and two future) of waste, wastewater, and their related energy systems in Southern European regions. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been applied to all the different steps of the complex scenarios in order to provide a more holistic, robust, and scientific approach that is able to highlight the beneficial effects of the integration of different plants (Waste to Energy - WtE, Anaerobic digestion - AD, wastewater treatment plant - WWTP) included in a symbiotic nexus. The LCA results have shown that an important reduction in the impact of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management is obtained from the recovery of separately collected materials, but there is still a large gap that could be filled by the introduction of energy recovery (by means of AD and WtE) and through its symbiotic use to support the anaerobic digestion, wastewater reuse, and sludge recovery processes. The proposed approach, which is based on a waste-wastewater-energy nexus and industrial symbiosis, could be adopted to support these regions to significantly increase circularity and fill the gap, thus favoring a significant rapprochement in the path toward the New Green Deal promoted by the European Union.

Suggested Citation

  • Mancini, G. & Lombardi, L. & Luciano, A. & Bolzonella, D. & Viotti, P. & Fino, D., 2024. "A reduction in global impacts through a waste-wastewater-energy nexus: A life cycle assessment," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 289(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:289:y:2024:i:c:s036054422303414x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2023.130020
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S036054422303414X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2023.130020?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zamri, M.F.M.A. & Hasmady, Saiful & Akhiar, Afifi & Ideris, Fazril & Shamsuddin, A.H. & Mofijur, M. & Fattah, I. M. Rizwanul & Mahlia, T.M.I., 2021. "A comprehensive review on anaerobic digestion of organic fraction of municipal solid waste," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    2. Wienchol, Paulina & Szlęk, Andrzej & Ditaranto, Mario, 2020. "Waste-to-energy technology integrated with carbon capture – Challenges and opportunities," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    3. Klara Ramm & Marzena Smol, 2023. "Water Reuse—Analysis of the Possibility of Using Reclaimed Water Depending on the Quality Class in the European Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-18, August.
    4. Xueliang Yuan & Xiaohan Fan & Jiaxin Liang & Mengyue Liu & Yuqiang Teng & Qiao Ma & Qingsong Wang & Ruimin Mu & Jian Zuo, 2019. "Public Perception towards Waste-to-Energy as a Waste Management Strategy: A Case from Shandong, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-15, August.
    5. Kumar, Atul & Samadder, S.R., 2020. "Performance evaluation of anaerobic digestion technology for energy recovery from organic fraction of municipal solid waste: A review," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    6. Lombardi, Lidia & Francini, Giovanni, 2020. "Techno-economic and environmental assessment of the main biogas upgrading technologies," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 440-458.
    7. Shen, Yanwen & Linville, Jessica L. & Urgun-Demirtas, Meltem & Mintz, Marianne M. & Snyder, Seth W., 2015. "An overview of biogas production and utilization at full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the United States: Challenges and opportunities towards energy-neutral WWTPs," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 346-362.
    8. Kledja Canaj & Andi Mehmeti & Julio Berbel, 2021. "The Economics of Fruit and Vegetable Production Irrigated with Reclaimed Water Incorporating the Hidden Costs of Life Cycle Environmental Impacts," Resources, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-13, September.
    9. Nicola Di Costanzo & Alessandra Cesaro & Francesco Di Capua & Giovanni Esposito, 2021. "Exploiting the Nutrient Potential of Anaerobically Digested Sewage Sludge: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-25, December.
    10. Tyagi, Vinay Kumar & Lo, Shang-Lien, 2013. "Sludge: A waste or renewable source for energy and resources recovery?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 708-728.
    11. Torkayesh, Ali Ebadi & Rajaeifar, Mohammad Ali & Rostom, Madona & Malmir, Behnam & Yazdani, Morteza & Suh, Sangwon & Heidrich, Oliver, 2022. "Integrating life cycle assessment and multi criteria decision making for sustainable waste management: Key issues and recommendations for future studies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    12. Rajaeifar, Mohammad Ali & Ghanavati, Hossein & Dashti, Behrouz B. & Heijungs, Reinout & Aghbashlo, Mortaza & Tabatabaei, Meisam, 2017. "Electricity generation and GHG emission reduction potentials through different municipal solid waste management technologies: A comparative review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 414-439.
    13. Tyagi, Vinay Kumar & Fdez-Güelfo, L.A. & Zhou, Yan & Álvarez-Gallego, C.J. & Garcia, L.I. Romero & Ng, Wun Jern, 2018. "Anaerobic co-digestion of organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW): Progress and challenges," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 380-399.
    14. Achillas, Ch. & Vlachokostas, Ch. & Moussiopoulos, N. & Banias, G. & Kafetzopoulos, G. & Karagiannidis, A., 2011. "Social acceptance for the development of a waste-to-energy plant in an urban area," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 55(9), pages 857-863.
    15. Guanghui Hou & Tong Chen & Ke Ma & Zhiming Liao & Hongmei Xia & Tianzeng Yao, 2019. "Improving Social Acceptance of Waste-to-Energy Incinerators in China: Role of Place Attachment, Trust, and Fairness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-22, March.
    16. Mancini, G. & Luciano, A. & Bolzonella, D. & Fatone, F. & Viotti, P. & Fino, D., 2021. "A water-waste-energy nexus approach to bridge the sustainability gap in landfill-based waste management regions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    17. Abbasi, Tasneem & Tauseef, S.M. & Abbasi, S.A., 2012. "Anaerobic digestion for global warming control and energy generation—An overview," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(5), pages 3228-3242.
    18. HUYGENS Dries & GARCIA-GUTIERREZ Pelayo & ORVEILLON Glenn & SCHILLACI Calogero & DELRE Antonio & ORGIAZZI Alberto & WOJDA Piotr & TONINI Davide & EGLE Lukas & JONES Arwyn & PISTOCCHI Alberto & LUGATO , 2022. "Screening risk assessment of organic pollutants and environmental impacts from sewage sludge management," JRC Research Reports JRC129690, Joint Research Centre.
    19. Dastjerdi, B. & Strezov, V. & Kumar, R. & Behnia, M., 2019. "An evaluation of the potential of waste to energy technologies for residual solid waste in New South Wales, Australia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    20. Wanqiu Hu & Jinping Tian & Xing Li & Lujun Chen, 2020. "Wastewater treatment system optimization with an industrial symbiosis model: A case study of a Chinese eco‐industrial park," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(6), pages 1338-1351, December.
    21. Maria Cristina Collivignarelli & Alessandro Abbà & Andrea Frattarola & Marco Carnevale Miino & Sergio Padovani & Ioannis Katsoyiannis & Vincenzo Torretta, 2019. "Legislation for the Reuse of Biosolids on Agricultural Land in Europe: Overview," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-22, October.
    22. Collet, Pierre & Flottes, Eglantine & Favre, Alain & Raynal, Ludovic & Pierre, Hélène & Capela, Sandra & Peregrina, Carlos, 2017. "Techno-economic and Life Cycle Assessment of methane production via biogas upgrading and power to gas technology," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C), pages 282-295.
    23. S. H. A. Koop & C. J. Leeuwen, 2017. "The challenges of water, waste and climate change in cities," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 385-418, April.
    24. María Fernanda Jaramillo & Inés Restrepo, 2017. "Wastewater Reuse in Agriculture: A Review about Its Limitations and Benefits," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-19, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mancini, G. & Luciano, A. & Bolzonella, D. & Fatone, F. & Viotti, P. & Fino, D., 2021. "A water-waste-energy nexus approach to bridge the sustainability gap in landfill-based waste management regions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    2. Caferra, Rocco & D'Adamo, Idiano & Morone, Piergiuseppe, 2023. "Wasting energy or energizing waste? The public acceptance of waste-to-energy technology," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PE).
    3. Bidart, Christian & Wichert, Martin & Kolb, Gunther & Held, Michael, 2022. "Biogas catalytic methanation for biomethane production as fuel in freight transport - A carbon footprint assessment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    4. Marzena Smol, 2023. "Circular Economy in Wastewater Treatment Plant—Water, Energy and Raw Materials Recovery," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-18, May.
    5. Macintosh, C. & Astals, S. & Sembera, C. & Ertl, A. & Drewes, J.E. & Jensen, P.D. & Koch, K., 2019. "Successful strategies for increasing energy self-sufficiency at Grüneck wastewater treatment plant in Germany by food waste co-digestion and improved aeration," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C), pages 797-808.
    6. Strazzera, Elisabetta & Meleddu, Daniela & Atzori, Rossella, 2022. "A hybrid choice modelling approach to estimate the trade-off between perceived environmental risks and economic benefits," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    7. Baena-Moreno, Francisco M. & Gonzalez-Castaño, Miriam & Arellano-García, Harvey & Reina, T.R., 2021. "Exploring profitability of bioeconomy paths: Dimethyl ether from biogas as case study," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    8. Behnam Hosseini Dastjerdi & Vladimir Strezov & Ravinder Kumar & Masud Behnia, 2021. "Economic Feasibility and Sustainability Assessment of Residual Municipal Solid Waste Management Scenarios in NSW, Australia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-12, August.
    9. Poblete, Israel Bernardo S. & Araujo, Ofélia de Queiroz F. & de Medeiros, José Luiz, 2020. "Dynamic analysis of sustainable biogas-combined-cycle plant: Time-varying demand and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    10. Torkayesh, Ali Ebadi & Rajaeifar, Mohammad Ali & Rostom, Madona & Malmir, Behnam & Yazdani, Morteza & Suh, Sangwon & Heidrich, Oliver, 2022. "Integrating life cycle assessment and multi criteria decision making for sustainable waste management: Key issues and recommendations for future studies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    11. Zamri, M.F.M.A. & Hasmady, Saiful & Akhiar, Afifi & Ideris, Fazril & Shamsuddin, A.H. & Mofijur, M. & Fattah, I. M. Rizwanul & Mahlia, T.M.I., 2021. "A comprehensive review on anaerobic digestion of organic fraction of municipal solid waste," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    12. Ghafoori, Mohammad Samim & Loubar, Khaled & Marin-Gallego, Mylène & Tazerout, Mohand, 2022. "Techno-economic and sensitivity analysis of biomethane production via landfill biogas upgrading and power-to-gas technology," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PB).
    13. Xu, Min & Liu, Yong & Cui, Caiyun & Xia, Bo & Ke, Yongjian & Skitmore, Martin, 2023. "Social acceptance of NIMBY facilities: A comparative study between public acceptance and the social license to operate analytical frameworks," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    14. Muhamed Rasit Atelge & Halil Senol & Mohammed Djaafri & Tulin Avci Hansu & David Krisa & Abdulaziz Atabani & Cigdem Eskicioglu & Hamdi Muratçobanoğlu & Sebahattin Unalan & Slimane Kalloum & Nuri Azbar, 2021. "A Critical Overview of the State-of-the-Art Methods for Biogas Purification and Utilization Processes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-39, October.
    15. D’Adamo, Idiano & Falcone, Pasquale Marcello & Huisingh, Donald & Morone, Piergiuseppe, 2021. "A circular economy model based on biomethane: What are the opportunities for the municipality of Rome and beyond?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 1660-1672.
    16. Meng, Xiangmei & de Jong, Wiebren & Kudra, Tadeusz, 2016. "A state-of-the-art review of pulse combustion: Principles, modeling, applications and R&D issues," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 73-114.
    17. Salah Jellali & Yassine Charabi & Muhammad Usman & Abdullah Al-Badi & Mejdi Jeguirim, 2021. "Investigations on Biogas Recovery from Anaerobic Digestion of Raw Sludge and Its Mixture with Agri-Food Wastes: Application to the Largest Industrial Estate in Oman," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-20, March.
    18. Marcin Dębowski & Marta Kisielewska & Joanna Kazimierowicz & Marcin Zieliński, 2023. "Methane Production from Confectionery Wastewater Treated in the Anaerobic Labyrinth-Flow Bioreactor," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-18, January.
    19. Marta Wiśniewska & Andrzej Kulig & Krystyna Lelicińska-Serafin, 2021. "Odour Nuisance at Municipal Waste Biogas Plants and the Effect of Feedstock Modification on the Circular Economy—A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-22, October.
    20. Dehkordi, Seyed Mohammad Mehdi Noorbakhsh & Jahromi, Ahmad Reza Taghipour & Ferdowsi, Ali & Shumal, Mohammad & Dehnavi, Ali, 2020. "Investigation of biogas production potential from mechanical separated municipal solid waste as an approach for developing countries (case study: Isfahan-Iran)," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:289:y:2024:i:c:s036054422303414x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.