Life Cycle Based Cost-Benefit Assessment of Waste Management Options

The study analysed municipal solid waste treatment scenarios and provided data, methodological improvements, results and strategy recommendations for the new EU member states. The recommendations were generally applicable to municipal solid waste treatment.

The client

EU Commission (DG-JRC) – European Union

Our role

The project was executed by 2.-0 LCA consultants. Project completed May 2006.

Environmental assessment of municipal waste management scenarios in Malta and Krakow

In a study for the EU commission (DG-JRC) in 2005-2006, different municipal waste treatment scenarios have been analysed, using the most recent generic data sources for the different technologies.

The objectives of the study were:

• To provide life cycle assessment data, results and strategy recommendations for municipal waste management in the new EU member states, with Malta and Krakow as specific cases.
• To provide background insights for the development of a common European reference system for life cycle assessment (LCA).

The study applies a mainstream “bottom-up” life cycle assessment method, supplemented by data for background processes from “top-down” input-output matrices, based on national accounting statistics combined with national emission statistics.

The study applies a variant of our Stepwise2006 impact assessment methodology with spatial modelling. This method allows full monetarisation of the life cycle impacts.

A study report (Pdf-file) has been edited and published by the EU commission (DG-JRC). A short conference presentation is available that reviews the most important results.