Abstract
Refuse-derived fuel (RDF) can be produced from combustible materials contained in municipal waste. This article investigates energy and material flow of waste in different scenarios for production of RDF from bulky waste, separately collected waste, and mixed municipal solid waste (MSW). We compare the proportion of energy consumption in transportation, handling waste, and processing using data from the waste collection company in South Poland. The findings show the components of the reverse supply chain consuming the highest value of energy. A model of material and energy flow has taken into consideration collection of waste and transportation by two categories of waste collection vehicles: light commercial vehicles and garbage trucks. The shipping of RDF from pre-treatment facilities uses tipper semi-trailers and walking floor trailers. The findings of the study show production of RDF from municipal solid waste consumes almost 10% of energy potential in RDF. Less energy is required for the production of RDF from bulky waste (2.2–4.8%) or separately collected waste (1.7–4.1%) depending on the efficiency of collection and selected vehicles. Transportation consumes the greatest portion of energy. For mixed municipal solid waste (MSW), it can reach 79%; for separated collection waste, 90%; and for bulky waste, up to 92% of the total energy consumed. Comparing emissions for two categories of the collection vehicles, no significant difference was found for the bulky waste collections. For mixed MSW and separately collected waste, the emissions are higher for garbage trucks. A recommendation for practitioners is optimization of routing to achieve a higher collection rate at a minimized route length. For transportation of RDF to WtE plants, vehicles with higher loading capacity are essential.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article.
References
Abdel-Shafy HI, Mansour MSM (2018) Solid waste issue: Sources, composition, disposal, recycling, and valorization. Egypt J Pet 27:1275–1290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpe.2018.07.003
Asefi H, Shahparvari S, Chhetri P, Lim S (2019) Variable fleet size and mix VRP with fleet heterogeneity in Integrated Solid Waste Management. J Clean Prod 230:1376–1395. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.04.250
BavagharZaeimi M, Abbas Rassafi A (2021) Designing an integrated municipal solid waste management system using a fuzzy chance-constrained programming model considering economic and environmental aspects under uncertainty. Waste Manag 125:268–279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2021.02.047
Bhatt M, Chakinala AG, Joshi JB et al (2021) Valorization of solid waste using advanced thermo-chemical process: a review. J Environ Chem Eng 9:105434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2021.105434
Cao S, Liao W, Huang Y (2021) Heterogeneous fleet recyclables collection routing optimization in a two-echelon collaborative reverse logistics network from circular economic and environmental perspective. Sci Total Environ 758:144062. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144062
Chand Malav L, Yadav KK, Gupta N et al (2020) A review on municipal solid waste as a renewable source for waste-to-energy project in India: current practices, challenges, and future opportunities. J Clean Prod 277:123227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123227
Coelho ST, Bouille DH, Recalde MY (2020) Chapter four - WtE best practices and perspectives in Latin America. In: Coelho ST, Sanches Pereira A, Bouille DH et al (eds) Municipal solid waste energy conversion in developing countries. Elsevier, pp 107–145
Creazza A, Dallari F, Rossi T (2012) Applying an integrated logistics network design and optimisation model: the Pirelli Tyre case. Int J Prod Res 50:3021–3038. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2011.588614
Dianda P, Munawar E (2017) Production and characterization refuse derived fuel (RDF) from high organic and moisture contents of municipal solid waste (MSW). 9
European Commission (2018a) DIRECTIVE 2008/98/EC of the EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 19 November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives
European Commission (2018b) Directive (EU) 2018b/2002 of The European Parliament and of The Council of 11 December 2018 amending Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2018:150:TOC. Accessed 10 May 2021
Eurostat (2021) Municipal waste statistics. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Municipal_waste_statistics. Accessed 15 May 2021
Friege H, Fendel A (2011) Competition of different methods for recovering energy from waste. Waste Manag Res 29:S30–S38. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X11413955
Hannan MA, Akhtar M, Begum RA et al (2018) Capacitated vehicle-routing problem model for scheduled solid waste collection and route optimization using PSO algorithm. Waste Manag 71:31–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2017.10.019
Hashemi SE (2021) A fuzzy multi-objective optimization model for a sustainable reverse logistics network design of municipal waste-collecting considering the reduction of emissions. J Clean Prod 318:128577. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.128577
Hoornweg D, Bhada-Tata P (2012) What a waste: a global review of solid waste management. World Bank, Washington, DC
Journal of Laws - Poland (2013) Ustawa z dnia 14 grudnia 2012 r. o odpadach. Dz.U. 2013 poz. 21, Warszawa
Keller M, Wüthrich P (2014) Handbook emission factors for road transport 3.1 / 3.2 Quick reference
Koç Ç, Bektaş T, Jabali O, Laporte G (2014) The fleet size and mix pollution-routing problem. Transp Res Part B Methodol 70:239–254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trb.2014.09.008
Larsen AW, Vrgoc M, Christensen TH, Lieberknecht P (2009) Diesel consumption in waste collection and transport and its environmental significance. Waste Manag Res 27:652–659
Maimoun MA, Reinhart DR, Gammoh FT, McCauley Bush P (2013) Emissions from US waste collection vehicles. Waste Manag 33:1079–1089. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2012.12.021
Malijonyte V (2016) A comparative life cycle assessment of energy recovery from end-of-life tires and selected solid waste. Energy Procedia 95:257–264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2016.09.064
Malinauskaite J, Jouhara H, Ahmad L et al (2019) Energy efficiency in industry: EU and national policies in Italy and the UK. Energy 172:255–269
Malinauskaite J, Jouhara H, Egilegor B et al (2020) Energy efficiency in the industrial sector in the EU, Slovenia, and Spain. Energy 208:118398. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2020.118398
Mani SK (2020) Chapter Five - WtE best practices and perspectives in Asia. In: Coelho ST, Sanches Pereira A, Bouille DH et al (eds) Municipal solid waste energy conversion in developing countries. Elsevier, pp 147–184
Marinello S, Gamberini R (2021) Multi-criteria decision making approaches applied to waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE): a comprehensive literature review. Toxics 9(1):13. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics9010013
Markov I, Varone S, Bierlaire M (2016) Integrating a heterogeneous fixed fleet and a flexible assignment of destination depots in the waste collection VRP with intermediate facilities. Transp Res Part B Methodol 84:256–273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trb.2015.12.004
MostafayiDarmian S, Moazzeni S, Hvattum LM (2020) Multi-objective sustainable location-districting for the collection of municipal solid waste: two case studies. Comput Ind Eng 150:106965. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2020.106965
Mukherjee C, Denney J, Mbonimpa EG et al (2020) A review on municipal solid waste-to-energy trends in the USA. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 119:109512. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2019.109512
National Statistics UK (2021) Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES): calorific values and density of fuels. In: GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dukes-calorific-values. Accessed 31 Oct 2021
Nevrlý V, Šomplák R, Putna O, Pavlas M (2019) Location of mixed municipal waste treatment facilities: cost of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. J Clean Prod 239:118003. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118003
Põldnurk J (2015) Optimisation of the economic, environmental and administrative efficiency of the municipal waste management model in rural areas. Resour Conserv Recycl 97:55–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2015.02.003
Reis Neto OP (2021) Impacts of a large-scale model of Municipal Solid Waste: An Input-Output analysis for the largest Brazilian metropolitan region. Heliyon 7:e06776. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06776
Reza B, Soltani A, Ruparathna R et al (2013) Environmental and economic aspects of production and utilization of RDF as alternative fuel in cement plants: a case study of Metro Vancouver Waste Management. Resour Conserv Recycl 81:105–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2013.10.009
Rotter VS, Kost T, Winkler J, Bilitewski B (2004) Material flow analysis of RDF-production processes. Waste Manag 24:1005–1021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2004.07.015
Tabasová A, Kropáč J, Kermes V et al (2012) Waste-to-energy technologies: Impact on environment. Energy 44:146–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2012.01.014
Yousefloo A, Babazadeh R (2020) Designing an integrated municipal solid waste management network: a case study. J Clean Prod 244:118824. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118824
Zhou H, Meng A, Long Y et al (2014) An overview of characteristics of municipal solid waste fuel in China: physical, chemical composition and heating value. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 36:107–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2014.04.024
Acknowledgements
The publication was partially supported by the Rector’s grant No 12/040/RGJ21/0038, Silesian University of Technology, 2021.
Funding
The publication was partially supported by the Rector’s grant No 12/040/RGJ21/0038, Silesian University of Technology, 2021.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Conceptualization: [Piotr Nowakowski], Methodology: [Piotr Nowakowski, Mariusz Wala], Formal analysis and investigation:[Piotr Nowakowski, Mariusz Wala], Writing—original draft preparation: [Piotr Nowakowski, Mariusz Wala]; Writing—review and editing: [Piotr Nowakowski], Resources: [Mariusz Wala, Piotr Nowakowski], Supervision: [Piotr Nowakowski]
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethics approval and consent to participate
Not applicable
Consent for publication
Not applicable
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests
Additional information
Responsible Editor: Philippe Garrigues
Publisher's note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nowakowski, P., Wala, M. The evaluation of energy consumption in transportation and processing of municipal waste for recovery in a waste-to-energy plant: a case study of Poland. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 8809–8821 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-21220-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-21220-y