Life cycle based cost-benefit assessment of municipal waste management options
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.
The study report has been edited and published by the EU commission (DG-JRC). A short conference presentation is available that reviews the most important results.