Energy implications of integrated solid waste management systems. Final report
This study develops estimates of energy use and recovery from managing municipal solid waste (MSW) under various collection, processing, and disposal scenarios. We estimate use and recovery -- or energy balance -- resulting from MSW management activities such as waste collection, transport, processing, and disposal, as well as indirect use and recovery linked to secondary materials manufacturing using recycled materials. In our analysis, secondary materials manufacturing displaces virgin materials manufacturing for 13 representative products. Energy implications are expressed as coefficients that measure the net energy saving (or use) of displacing products made from virgin versus recycled materials. Using data developed for the 1992 New York City Master Plan as a starting point, we apply our method to an analysis of various collection systems and 30 types of facilities to illustrate bow energy balances shift as management systems are modified. In sum, all four scenarios show a positive energy balance indicating the energy and advantage of integrated systems versus reliance on one or few technology options. That is, energy produced or saved exceeds the energy used to operate the solid waste system. The largest energy use impacts are attributable to processing, including materials separation and composting. Collection and transportation energy are relatively minor contributors. The largest two contributors to net energy savings are waste combustion and energy saved by processing recycled versus virgin materials. An accompanying spatial analysis methodology allocates energy use and recovery to New York City, New York State outside the city, the U.S., and outside the U.S. Our analytical approach is embodied in a spreadsheet model that can be used by energy and solid waste analysts to estimate impacts of management scenarios at the state and substate level.
- Research Organization:
- New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, New York, NY (United States); Tellus Inst., Inc., Boston, MA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Albany, NY (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 10102912
- Report Number(s):
- NYSERDA-94-11; ON: TI95003437; IN: 1607-ERER-ER-90; TRN: 95:000127
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Jul 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Material and energy recovery in integrated waste management systems. An evaluation based on life cycle assessment
Energy implications of alternative solid waste management systems
Related Subjects
09 BIOMASS FUELS
MUNICIPAL WASTES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
ENERGY ACCOUNTING
RECYCLING
ENERGY BALANCE
LIFE-CYCLE COST
COMPOSTING
WOOD WASTES
320305
320604
093000
INDUSTRIAL WASTE MANAGEMENT
MUNICIPAL WASTE MANAGEMENT
ECONOMIC, INDUSTRIAL, AND BUSINESS ASPECTS