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Comparison of carbon emissions associated with municipal solid waste management in Germany and the UK

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  • Mühle, S.
  • Balsam, I.
  • Cheeseman, C.R.

Abstract

The systems used to manage municipal solid waste (MSW) in Germany and the UK have been compared on the basis of carbon equivalent emissions. The legislative background to MSW management in Germany emphasises recycling and recovery, while the UK continues to rely on much higher levels of landfill, relatively low use (∼9%) of energy from waste (EfW), with currently about 34% recycling and composting. Analysis indicates that the carbon emissions associated with current MSW management in the UK is approximately five times higher than that for Germany. UK management of MSW is calculated to produce 175kgCO2 equivalents/t, while MSW in Germany generates 34kgCO2 equivalents/t. These results show the benefits of German initiatives in waste management introduced over the past 20 years. To put these figures into perspective, the difference in CO2 emissions would be approximately equivalent to removing 1.2 million cars from roads in England and Wales. The potential for the UK to achieve the Waste Management Strategy targets through increased recycling/separation and landfill legislation is discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Mühle, S. & Balsam, I. & Cheeseman, C.R., 2010. "Comparison of carbon emissions associated with municipal solid waste management in Germany and the UK," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 54(11), pages 793-801.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:recore:v:54:y:2010:i:11:p:793-801
    DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2009.12.009
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Porteous, Andrew, 2001. "Energy from waste incineration -- a state of the art emissions review with an emphasis on public acceptability," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 70(2), pages 157-167, October.
    2. Porteous, Andrew, 1997. "Energy from Waste: A Wholly Acceptable Waste-management Solution," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 58(4), pages 177-208, December.
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    1. Marconsin, Adauto Fernandes & Rosa, Derval dos Santos, 2013. "A comparison of two models for dealing with urban solid waste: Management by contract and management by public–private partnership," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 115-123.
    2. Cifrian, Eva & Galan, Berta & Andres, Ana & Viguri, Javier R., 2012. "Material flow indicators and carbon footprint for MSW management systems: Analysis and application at regional level, Cantabria, Spain," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 54-66.
    3. Závodská, A. & Benešová, L. & Smyth, B. & Morrissey, A.J., 2014. "A comparison of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) management strategies in Ireland and the Czech Republic and the lessons learned," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 136-144.
    4. Franchetti, Matthew & Kilaru, Prabhu, 2012. "Modeling the impact of municipal solid waste recycling on greenhouse gas emissions in Ohio, USA," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 107-113.
    5. Wang, Yuan & Yan, Yuanyuan & Chen, Guanyi & Zuo, Jian & Du, Huibin, 2015. "Effective approaches to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from waste to energy process: A China study," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 104(PA), pages 103-108.
    6. Caponi, Vincenzo, 2022. "The economic and environmental effects of seasonality of tourism: A look at solid waste," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    7. A. C. (Thanos) Bourtsalas & Tianxiao Shen & Yixi Tian, 2022. "A Comprehensive Assessment of Products Management and Energy Recovery from Waste Products in the United States," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-20, September.

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