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Assessing the Economic and Environmental Impacts of Anaerobic Digestion for Municipal Organic Waste: A Case Study of Minamisanriku Town, Japan

Author

Listed:
  • Chen Liu

    (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0115, Japan)

  • Dami Moon

    (Department of Chemical System Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan)

  • Atsushi Watabe

    (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0115, Japan)

Abstract

Anaerobic digestion (AD), or biogas technology, is an optimal method for municipal organic waste (MOW) treatment, recovering both material and energy. This study takes a life cycle assessment perspective and examines the economic and environmental impacts of a BIO facility in Minamisanriku Town, Japan, which has utilized MOW (kitchen/food waste and surplus sludge from sewage) as local biomass resources since 2012. Stakeholder interviews were conducted to gather data on material flows and impacts. Scenario analysis considered various conditions, such as pre- and post-operation of the BIO facility, the use and non-use of digestate as liquid fertilizer, and the facility’s 100% operational efficiency. The results indicate that full operation of the BIO facility and marketing of value-added products, such as branded rice grown using liquid fertilizer, could significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, lower integrated environmental costs, improve the regional economy, and increase net income. In the business as usual (BAU) scenario with a 56% operation rate of the BIO facility, there is an over 10% improvement in economic and environmental impacts compared to the pre-operation baseline. This study underscores the importance of maximizing biomass utilization to develop value-added uses by enhancing, extending, and expending stakeholder collaboration.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen Liu & Dami Moon & Atsushi Watabe, 2024. "Assessing the Economic and Environmental Impacts of Anaerobic Digestion for Municipal Organic Waste: A Case Study of Minamisanriku Town, Japan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-17, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:16:p:6793-:d:1452283
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Andante Hadi Pandyaswargo & Premakumara Jagath Dickella Gamaralalage & Chen Liu & Michael Knaus & Hiroshi Onoda & Faezeh Mahichi & Yanghui Guo, 2019. "Challenges and an Implementation Framework for Sustainable Municipal Organic Waste Management Using Biogas Technology in Emerging Asian Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-27, November.
    2. Jin, Yiying & Chen, Ting & Chen, Xin & Yu, Zhixin, 2015. "Life-cycle assessment of energy consumption and environmental impact of an integrated food waste-based biogas plant," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 227-236.
    3. Andrea Taffuri & Alessandro Sciullo & Arnaud Diemer & Claudiu Eduard Nedelciu, 2021. "Integrating Circular Bioeconomy and Urban Dynamics to Define an Innovative Management of Bio-Waste: The Study Case of Turin," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-18, June.
    4. Negri, Camilla & Ricci, Marina & Zilio, Massimo & D'Imporzano, Giuliana & Qiao, Wei & Dong, Renjie & Adani, Fabrizio, 2020. "Anaerobic digestion of food waste for bio-energy production in China and Southeast Asia: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
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