IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/recore/v89y2014icp41-51.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Multi-objective optimization of waste and resource management in industrial networks – Part II: Model application to the treatment of sewage sludge

Author

Listed:
  • Vadenbo, Carl
  • Guillén-Gosálbez, Gonzalo
  • Saner, Dominik
  • Hellweg, Stefanie

Abstract

In the present article, the thermal treatment of digested sewage sludge generated in the Swiss region of Zürich is modeled and optimized from an environmental perspective. The optimization problem is solved using a multi-objective mixed-integer linear program that combines material flow analysis, process models, life cycle assessment (LCA), and mathematical optimization techniques. The treatment options include co-incineration in municipal solid waste incineration, co-processing in cement production, and mono-incineration with the prospect of phosphorus recovery. The model is optimized according to six environmental objectives. Five of the six single-objective optimal solutions involve splits over the treatment options. The results reflect the available treatment capacities and other constraints, aspects rarely considered in conventional LCA studies. Co-processing in cement production is used to the maximum extent possible when minimizing impacts on climate change, human toxicity, fossil resource depletion, and fully aggregated impacts (ReCiPe H/A), whereas mono-incineration with phosphorus recovery receives the bulk of the sludge when optimizing for ecotoxicity and mineral resource depletion. Four of the single-objective optimal solutions (minimization of fossil energy resource depletion and contribution to climate change, human toxicity, and fully aggregated impacts) outperform the reference case over the six impact categories considered, showing that the current situation can be improved in some environmental categories without compromising others. The results of the sensitivity analysis indicate that assumptions regarding the product systems displaced by recovered by-products are critical for the outcome of the optimization. Our approach identifies in all of the cases solutions in which significant environmental improvements can be attained.

Suggested Citation

  • Vadenbo, Carl & Guillén-Gosálbez, Gonzalo & Saner, Dominik & Hellweg, Stefanie, 2014. "Multi-objective optimization of waste and resource management in industrial networks – Part II: Model application to the treatment of sewage sludge," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 41-51.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:recore:v:89:y:2014:i:c:p:41-51
    DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2014.05.009
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921344914001177
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.resconrec.2014.05.009?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Caroline Sablayrolles & Benoît Gabrielle & Mireille Montrejaud‐Vignoles, 2010. "Life Cycle Assessment of Biosolids Land Application and Evaluation of the Factors Impacting Human Toxicity through Plant Uptake," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 14(2), pages 231-241, March.
    2. Linderholm, Kersti & Tillman, Anne-Marie & Mattsson, Jan Erik, 2012. "Life cycle assessment of phosphorus alternatives for Swedish agriculture," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 27-39.
    3. Dana Cordell & Stuart White, 2011. "Peak Phosphorus: Clarifying the Key Issues of a Vigorous Debate about Long-Term Phosphorus Security," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 3(10), pages 1-23, October.
    4. Vadenbo, Carl & Hellweg, Stefanie & Guillén-Gosálbez, Gonzalo, 2014. "Multi-objective optimization of waste and resource management in industrial networks – Part I: Model description," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 52-63.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. De Meyer, Annelies & Cattrysse, Dirk & Ostermeyer, Pieter & Van Orshoven, Jos, 2016. "Implementation of OPTIMASS to optimise municipal wastewater sludge processing chains: Proof of concept," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 168-178.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Theobald, Tim F.H. & Schipper, Mark & Kern, Jürgen, 2016. "Phosphorus flows in Berlin-Brandenburg, a regional flow analysis," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 1-14.
    2. Kataki, Sampriti & West, Helen & Clarke, Michèle & Baruah, D.C., 2016. "Phosphorus recovery as struvite: Recent concerns for use of seed, alternative Mg source, nitrogen conservation and fertilizer potential," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 142-156.
    3. Daniel Reißmann & Daniela Thrän & Alberto Bezama, 2018. "Key Development Factors of Hydrothermal Processes in Germany by 2030: A Fuzzy Logic Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-20, December.
    4. Karel Mulder, 2019. "Future Options for Sewage and Drainage Systems Three Scenarios for Transitions and Continuity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-15, March.
    5. Marissa A. De Boer & Anjelika G. Romeo-Hall & Tomas M. Rooimans & J. Chris Slootweg, 2018. "An Assessment of the Drivers and Barriers for the Deployment of Urban Phosphorus Recovery Technologies: A Case Study of The Netherlands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-19, May.
    6. Heiner Brookman & Fabian Gievers & Volker Zelinski & Jan Ohlert & Achim Loewen, 2018. "Influence of Hydrothermal Carbonization on Composition, Formation and Elimination of Biphenyls, Dioxins and Furans in Sewage Sludge," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-13, June.
    7. Benjamin C. McLellan & Eiji Yamasue & Tetsuo Tezuka & Glen Corder & Artem Golev & Damien Giurco, 2016. "Critical Minerals and Energy–Impacts and Limitations of Moving to Unconventional Resources," Resources, MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-40, May.
    8. Baum, Seth D. & Handoh, Itsuki C., 2014. "Integrating the planetary boundaries and global catastrophic risk paradigms," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 13-21.
    9. P. J. A. Kleinman & R. D. Harmel, 2024. "Grappling with the success and trade-offs of global nutrient redistribution," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(12), pages 29793-29811, December.
    10. Gabriel Gerner & Jae Wook Chung & Luca Meyer & Rahel Wanner & Simon Heiniger & Daniel Seiler & Rolf Krebs & Alexander Treichler & Roman Kontic & Beatrice Kulli, 2023. "Hydrothermal Carbonization of Sewage Sludge: New Improvements in Phosphatic Fertilizer Production and Process Water Treatment Using Freeze Concentration," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-19, October.
    11. James E. McDevitt & Elisabeth R. Langer & Alan C. Leckie, 2013. "Community Engagement and Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Kaikōura’s Biosolid Reuse Options," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(1), pages 1-14, January.
    12. Hadin, Åsa & Eriksson, Ola & Hillman, Karl, 2016. "A review of potential critical factors in horse keeping for anaerobic digestion of horse manure," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 432-442.
    13. Houssini, Khaoula & Geng, Yong & Liu, Jing-Yu & Zeng, Xianlai & Hohl, Simon V., 2023. "Measuring anthropogenic phosphorus cycles to promote resource recovery and circularity in Morocco," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    14. Christine Roxanne Hung & Paul Kishimoto & Volker Krey & Anders Hammer Strømman & Guillaume Majeau‐Bettez, 2022. "ECOPT2: An adaptable life cycle assessment model for the environmentally constrained optimization of prospective technology transitions," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(5), pages 1616-1630, October.
    15. Stanley Udochukwu Ofoegbu, 2019. "Technological Challenges of Phosphorus Removal in High-Phosphorus Ores: Sustainability Implications and Possibilities for Greener Ore Processing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-38, November.
    16. Magdalena Jastrzębska & Urszula Wachowska & Marta K. Kostrzewska, 2020. "Pathogenic and Non-Pathogenic Fungal Communities in Wheat Grain as Influenced by Recycled Phosphorus Fertilizers: A Case Study," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-15, June.
    17. Lesli Hoey & Mathew Lippincott & Lanika Sanders & Jennifer Blesh & Nancy Love, 2025. "Examining Regulatory Pathways That Enable and Constrain Urine Recycling," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-25, September.
    18. Michael C. Mew & Gerald Steiner & Bernhard Geissler, 2018. "Phosphorus Supply Chain—Scientific, Technical, and Economic Foundations: A Transdisciplinary Orientation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-18, April.
    19. Jan C. Bongaerts, 2018. "A Model for the Optimal Recovery of Multiple Substances from Waste Water with a Focus on Phosphate," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-13, August.
    20. Carnicer, Jofre & Peñuelas, Josep, 2012. "The world at a crossroads: Financial scenarios for sustainability," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 611-617.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:recore:v:89:y:2014:i:c:p:41-51. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Kai Meng (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/resources-conservation-and-recycling .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.