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Assessment of Energy Recovery from Municipal Waste Management Systems Using Circular Economy Quality Indicators

Author

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  • Zygmunt Kowalski

    (Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences, Wybickiego 7a, 31-261 Cracow, Poland)

  • Joanna Kulczycka

    (Faculty of Management, AGH University of Science and Technology, Gramatyka 10, 30-067 Cracow, Poland)

  • Agnieszka Makara

    (Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Cracow University of Technology, Warszawska 24, 31-155 Cracow, Poland)

  • Roland Verhé

    (Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
    Renasci, Belgium Marie Curielaan 10, 8400 Ostend, Belgium)

  • Guy De Clercq

    (Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium)

Abstract

A complex method developed to assess quality within a proposed framework and at a certain scope of measurement for circular economy (CE) quality indicators is presented. This was used to compare three different scenarios for municipal waste management systems: 1—incineration; 2—recycling and reuse of separated municipal waste and the transformation of the organic fraction into biodiesel and bio-coal; and 3—an upgraded Scenario 2 including decreased recycling of waste streams and the bioprocessing of paper/cardboard and processing the non-recycled fraction into bio-diesel, bio-coal, and second-generation biofuel. For the evaluation of the CE quality indicator, a set of technical, environmental, economic, and social elements was selected by a panel of experts, who also assigned them a qualitative assessment and weighting on the basis of the factors identified. The calculated Relative Increase in the CE indicator for the scenarios analyzed showed that Scenarios 3 and 2 are much more beneficial than Scenario 1 in technical, environmental, economic and social terms.

Suggested Citation

  • Zygmunt Kowalski & Joanna Kulczycka & Agnieszka Makara & Roland Verhé & Guy De Clercq, 2022. "Assessment of Energy Recovery from Municipal Waste Management Systems Using Circular Economy Quality Indicators," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-22, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:22:p:8625-:d:976005
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Antoine Beylot & Antoine Hochar & Pascale Michel & Marie Descat & Yannick Ménard & Jacques Villeneuve, 2018. "Municipal Solid Waste Incineration in France: An Overview of Air Pollution Control Techniques, Emissions, and Energy Efficiency," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 22(5), pages 1016-1026, October.
    2. Rizos, Vasileios & Tuokko, Katja & Behrens, Arno, 2017. "The Circular Economy: A review of definitions, processes and impacts," CEPS Papers 12440, Centre for European Policy Studies.
    3. Chi-Hung Tsai & Yun-Hwei Shen & Wen-Tien Tsai, 2020. "Analysis of Current Status and Regulatory Promotion for Incineration Bottom Ash Recycling in Taiwan," Resources, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-10, September.
    4. Susana Garrido Azevedo & Radu Godina & João Carlos de Oliveira Matias, 2017. "Proposal of a Sustainable Circular Index for Manufacturing Companies," Resources, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-24, November.
    5. Marcus Linder & Steven Sarasini & Patricia Loon, 2017. "A Metric for Quantifying Product-Level Circularity," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(3), pages 545-558, June.
    6. Cherubini, Francesco & Bargigli, Silvia & Ulgiati, Sergio, 2009. "Life cycle assessment (LCA) of waste management strategies: Landfilling, sorting plant and incineration," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(12), pages 2116-2123.
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    Cited by:

    1. Zygmunt Kowalski & Joanna Kulczycka & Marcin Banach & Agnieszka Makara, 2023. "A Complex Circular-Economy Quality Indicator for Assessing Production Systems at the Micro Level," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-16, September.
    2. Márcia R. C. Santos & Ana Rolo & Dulce Matos & Luisa Carvalho, 2023. "The Circular Economy in Corporate Reporting: Text Mining of Energy Companies’ Management Reports," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-16, August.

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