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The Landfilling of Municipal Solid Waste and the Sustainability of the Related Transportation Activities

Author

Listed:
  • Laura Cirrincione

    (Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Building 9, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

  • Maria La Gennusa

    (Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Building 9, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

  • Giorgia Peri

    (Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Building 9, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

  • Gianfranco Rizzo

    (Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Building 9, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

  • Gianluca Scaccianoce

    (Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Building 9, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

Abstract

The management of municipal solid waste is a crucial issue to address as we move toward the decarbonization of urban contexts. Not by chance, this sector plays a relevant role in the Covenant of Mayors program, whereby municipalities are called to design their own Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SECAPs). However, despite new regulations strongly pushing the recycling and reuse of materials contained in municipal waste, many cities still use large landfills. As part of the overall environmental pressure exerted by these urban systems, the transport of waste from collection points to landfills or treatment facilities must be considered in order to correctly assess the full environmental burden of waste management. To this aim, in this paper, the Ecological Footprint method is applied to the municipal solid waste management system of the city of Palermo (Sicily). The results show that the impacts produced by the means of transport used, both in the status quo and in the assumed enhanced scenario (with less municipal waste disposed to landfills in favor of recycling), are significant compared to those caused by the other segments of the waste management system. The concept of a “saved footprint” is also introduced here, in order to properly compare the two scenarios.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Cirrincione & Maria La Gennusa & Giorgia Peri & Gianfranco Rizzo & Gianluca Scaccianoce, 2022. "The Landfilling of Municipal Solid Waste and the Sustainability of the Related Transportation Activities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-16, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:9:p:5272-:d:803471
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Luiz Maurício Maués & Norma Beltrão & Isabela Silva, 2021. "GHG Emissions Assessment of Civil Construction Waste Disposal and Transportation Process in the Eastern Amazon," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-26, May.
    2. Laura Cirrincione & Salvatore Di Dio & Giorgia Peri & Gianluca Scaccianoce & Domenico Schillaci & Gianfranco Rizzo, 2022. "A Win-Win Scheme for Improving the Environmental Sustainability of University Commuters’ Mobility and Getting Environmental Credits," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-19, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Gianfranco Rizzo & Laura Cirrincione & Maria La Gennusa & Giorgia Peri & Gianluca Scaccianoce, 2023. "Green Roofs’ End of Life: A Literature Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-16, January.

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