Elimination of greenhouse gas emission due to improvement of biodegradable waste management system

Abstract

In order to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gasses (GHG) from landfills, European Union (EU) Landfill Directive 1999/31/EC requires a progressive reduction of the municipal biodegradable waste disposal. The main problem of the waste management system in Latvia is a heavy dependence from the waste disposal at landfills. An insufficient separate waste collection system and a promotion of the landfilling as a major treatment option, leaded to the disposal of 84% of the total collected municipal waste in 2012 with a high share of the biodegradable waste. Therefore, in Latvia, the volume of emissions due to the activities of the waste management branch was 5.23% (632.6 CO₂ eq.) of the total GHG emissions produced in the national economy in 2010 (12 097 Gg CO₂ eq., except the land use, land-use change and forestry). The aim of this research is to revise the current situation of the management of biodegradable waste in Latvia, and to propose the future activities for the practical improvements dealing with biodegradable waste. The Waste Management Planning System (WAMPS) software has been used as an environmental impact analysis tool for the modelling waste management scenarios. The WAMPS software calculates emissions, energy and turnover of waste streams for processes within the waste management system, e.g., waste collection and transportation, composting, anaerobic digestion, and final disposal – landfilling or incineration. The obtained results are presented in four environmental impact categories: acidification, global warming, eutrophication and photo-oxidant formation, which are characterised by a certain emission. It covers an integrated waste management system starting with the activities where products become waste and have been put into the waste bin at waste generation source to the last point, where the waste becomes either useful material (recycled material, biogas or compost) or becomes part of emissions in the environment after its final disposal at landfill or incineration plant.