Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Log in

A global prospective of income distribution and its effect on life cycle assessment of municipal solid waste management: a review

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study reviewed the municipal solid waste (MSW) composition, the management practices, and the use of life cycle assessment (LCA) tool for MSW management (MSWM) options in the various income group countries. LCA studies require inventory data, which is difficult to procure for any country including higher income group countries, and this issue gets compounded in low-income and lower middle-income group countries, which limits the implementation of LCA. This paper compared the use of LCA for MSWM between high-income and low-income group countries and also highlights the gap in using LCA for MSWM. A very limited number of LCA studies on MSWM were found for low-income group countries in comparison to high-income group countries. The study also provided a critical discussion on the challenges in applications of LCA in MSWM for better solid waste management in low-income and lower middle-income group countries. The study will help in taking up LCA studies in low-income countries to improve the overall MSWM efficiency.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+
from $39.99 /Month
  • Starting from 10 chapters or articles per month
  • Access and download chapters and articles from more than 300k books and 2,500 journals
  • Cancel anytime
View plans

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles, books and news in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

References

  • Abd-Alqader A, Hamad J (2012) Municipal solid waste composition determination supporting the integrated solid waste management in Gaza Strip. International Journal of Environmental Science and Development 3(2):172–176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abduli MA, Naghib A, Yonesi M, Akbari A (2011) Life cycle assessment (LCA) of solid waste management strategies in Tehran: landfill and composting plus landfill. Environ Monit Assess 178:487–498

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Abeliotis K, Karaiskou K, Togia A, Lasaridi K (2009) Decision support systems in solid waste management: a case study at the national and local level in Greece. Global NEST Journal 11(2):117–126

    Google Scholar 

  • Al Faruq SMA, Kader MA, Alamin M, Hasan MR, Alam S (2013) Life cycle assessment (LCA) of municipal solid waste management system in Dhaka metropolitan city. International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research 4:291–294

    Google Scholar 

  • Allesch A, Brunner PH (2014) Assessment methods for solid waste management: a literature review. Waste Management and Research 32:1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Maaded M, Madi NK, Kahraman R, Hodzic A, Ozerkan NG (2012) An overview of solid waste management and plastic recycling in Qatar. J Polym Environ 20:186–194

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Salem SM, Lettieri P (2009) Life cycle assessment (LCA) of municipal solid waste management in the State of Kuwait. Eur J Sci Res 34:395–405

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Salem SM, Evangelisti S, Lettieri P (2014) Life cycle assessment of alternative technologies for municipal solid waste and plastic solid waste management in the Greater London area. Chem Eng J 244:391–402

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Assamoi B, Lawryshyn Y (2012) The environmental comparison of landfilling vs incineration of MSW accounting for waste diversion. Waste Manag 32:1019–1030

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Banar M, Cokaygil Z, Ozkan A (2009) Life cycle assessment of solid waste management options for Eskisehir Turkey. Waste Manag 29:54–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Batool SA, Chaudhry MN (2009) Municipal solid waste management in Lahore city district, Pakistan. Waste Manag 29:1971–1981

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beigl P, Salhofer S (2004) Comparison of ecological effects and costs of communal waste management systems. Resource Conservation and Recycle 41:83–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernstad A, la Cour Jansen J (2012) Review of comparative LCAs of food waste management systems-current status and potential improvements. Waste management 32(12):2439–2455

  • Bovea MD, Ibánez-Forés V, Gallardo A, Colomer-Mendoza FJ (2010) Environmental assessment of alternative municipal solid waste management strategies. A Spanish case study. Waste Management 30(11):2383–2395

  • Buttol P, Masoni P, Bonoli A, Goldoni S, Belladonna V, Cavazzuti C (2007) LCA of integrated MSW management systems: case study of the Bologna district. Waste Manag 27:1059–1070

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cabaraban MTI, Khire MV, Alocilja EC (2008) Aerobic in-vessel composting versus bioreactor landfilling using life cycle inventory models. Clean Techn Environ Policy 10:39–52

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chaya W, Gheewala SH (2007) Life cycle assessment of MSW-to-energy schemes in Thailand. J Clean Prod 15:1463–1468

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen TC, Lin CF (2008) Greenhouse gases emissions from waste management practices using life cycle inventory model. Hazard Mater 155:23–31

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cleary J (2009) Life cycle assessments of municipal solid waste management systems: a comparative analysis of selected peer-reviewed literature. Environ Int 35(8):1256–1266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Consonni S, Giugliano M, Grosso M (2005) Alternative strategies for energy recovery from municipal solid waste part B: emission and cost estimates. Waste Manag 25(2):137–148

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Contreras F, Hanaki K, Aramaki T, Connors S (2008) Application of analytical hierarchy process to analyze stakeholders preferences for municipal solid waste management plans, Boston, USA. Resources Conservation and Recycling 52:979–991

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dong J, Chi Y, Zou D, Fu C, Huang Q, Ni M (2014) Comparison of municipal solid waste treatment technologies from a life cycle perspective in China. Waste Management and Research 32(1):13–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emery A, Davies A, Griffiths A, Williams K (2007) Environmental and economic modelling: a case study of municipal solid waste management scenarios in Wales. Resources Conservation and Recycling 49:244–263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • EPA (2010) Municipal solid waste in the United States (2009) facts and figures. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/msw2009rpt.pdf

    Google Scholar 

  • Eriksson O, Carlsson M, Frostell B, Björklund A, Assefa G, Sundqvist JO, Granath J, Baky A, Thyselius L (2005) Municipal solid waste management from a systems perspective. J Clean Prod 13:241–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fernandez-Nava Y, Del Río J, Rodriguez-Iglesias J, Castrillón L, Marañón E (2014) Life cycle assessment (LCA) of different municipal solid waste management options: a case study of Asturias (Spain). Cleaner Production. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.06.008

    Google Scholar 

  • Finnveden G, Ekvall T (1998) Life cycle assessment as a decision-support tool-the case of recycling vs. incineration of paper. Resource Conservation and Recycling 24:235–256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Finnveden G, Hauschild MZ, Ekvall T, Guinee J, Heijungs R, Hellweg S, Koehler A, Pennington D, Suh S (2009) Recent developments in life cycle assessment. Environ Manag 91(1):1–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Forouhar A, Hristovski KD (2012) Characterization of the municipal solid waste stream in Kabul, Afghanistan. Habitat International 36:406–413

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frischknecht R, Jungbluth N, Althaus HJ, Doka G, Heck T, Hellweg S, Hischier R, Nemecek T, Rebitzer G, Spielmann M, Wernet G (2007) Overview and Methodology, ecoinvent report No. 1. Swiss Centre for Life Cycle Inventories, Dubendorf 2007.

  • Fruergaard T, Astrup T (2011) Optimal utilization of waste-to-energy in an LCA perspective. Waste Manag (Oxf) 31:572–582

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gentil EC, Damgaard A, Hauschild M, Finnveden G, Eriksson O, Thorneloe S, Kaplan PO, Barlaz M, Muller O, Matsui Y, Li R, Christensen TH (2010) Models for waste life cycle assessment: review of technical assumptions. Waste Manag 30:2636–2264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goedkoop M and Spriensma R (2001) The Ecoindicator99, damage oriented method for life cycle impact assessment, 3 edi. The Netherlands, Pre consultants B.V

  • Guinee JB (2002) Handbook on life cycle assessment operational guide to the ISO standards. The international journal of life cycle assessment 7(5):311–313

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gunamantha M, Sarto (2012) Life cycle assessment of municipal solid waste treatment to energy options: case study of Kartamantul region, Yogyakarta. Renew Energy 41:277–284

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta S, Boojhb R, Mishrac A, Chandra H (2009) Rules and management of biomedical waste at Vivekananda Polyclinic: a case study. Waste Manag 29(2):812–819

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hanc A, Novak P, Dvorak M, Habart J, Svehla P (2011) Composition and parameters of household bio-waste in four seasons. Waste Manag 31:1450–1460

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hong J, Li X, Zhaojie C (2010) Life cycle assessment of four municipal solid waste management scenarios in China. Waste Management 30(11):2362–2369

  • Hong RJ, Wang GF, Guo RZ, Cheng X, Liu Q, Zhang PJ, Qian GR (2006) Life cycle assessment of BMT-based integrated municipal solid waste management: case study in Pudong, China. Resource Conservation and Recycle 49:129–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoornweg D, Bhada-Tata P (2012) What a waste: a global review of solid waste management. World Bank, Washington, World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/17388 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO

  • Jha A, Singh G, Gupta P (2011) Sustainable municipal solid waste management in low-income group of cities: a review. Trop Ecol 52:123–131

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalyani KA, Pandey KK (2014) Waste to energy status in India: a short review. Renew Sust Energ Rev 31:113–120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karak T, Bhagat RM, Bhattacharyya P (2012) Municipal solid waste generation, composition, and management: the world scenario critical review. Environ. Sci. Technol. 42:1509–1630

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kashyap P, Visvanathan C (2014) Formalization of informal recycling in low-income countries. Environmental Science and Engineering 41–60

  • Kawai K, Tasaki T (2015) Revisiting estimates of municipal solid waste generation per capita and their reliability. Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management. doi:10.1007/s10163-015-0355-1

    Google Scholar 

  • Khan D, Samadder SR (2014) Municipal solid waste management using geographical information system aided methods: a mini review. Waste Management and Research 32(11):1049–1062

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koneczny K, Pennington D (2007) Environmental assessment of municipal waste management scenarios: part II—detailed life cycle assessments. EU-JRC–Institute for Environment and Sustainability; Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg, LU

    Google Scholar 

  • Koroneos CJ, Achillas C, Moussiopoulos N, Nanaki EA (2013) Life cycle thinking in the use of natural resources. Open Environmental Sciences 7:1–6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koroneos CJ, Nanaki EA (2012) Integrated solid waste management and energy production a life cycle assessment approach: the case study of the city of Thessaloniki. J Clean Prod 27:141–150

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Koushki PA (1995). Quantity, classification and forecasting household solid waste in Kuwait. In: E.a. department, pp. 49. Kuwait, Kuwait Municipality

  • Laurent A, Bakas I, Clavreul BA, Niero M, Gentile E, Hauschilda MZ, Christensen TH (2014a) Review of LCA studies of solid waste management systems—part I: lessons learned and perspectives. Waste Manag 34:573–588

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laurent A, Clavreul J, Bernstad A, Bakas I, Niero M, Gentil E, Christensen TH, Hauschild MZ (2014b) Review of LCA applications to solid waste management systems part II: methodological guidance for a better practice. Waste Manag 34:573–590

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lazarevic D, Aoustin E, Buclet N, Brandt N (2010) Plastic waste management in the context of a European recycling society: comparing results and uncertainties in a life cycle perspective. Resour Conserv Recycl 55(2):246–259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Life Cycle Initiative (2016) Life Cycle Network. http://www.lifecycleinitiative.org/networks/life-cycle-networks/

  • MacFarlane, C (1998) Solid Waste Management Consultant, Markham, Canada (personal communication). 15 April 2016.

  • Manfredi S, Christensen TH (2009) Environmental assessment of solid waste landfilling technologies by means of LCA-modeling. Waste management 29(1):32–43

  • Manfredi S, Scharff HM, Tonini D, Christensen TH (2009) Landfilling of waste: accounting of greenhouse gases and global warming contributions. Waste Management and Research 27:825–836

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mendes MR, Aramaki T, Hanaki K (2003) Assessment of the environmental impact of management measures for the biodegradable fraction of municipal solid waste in Sao Paulo City. Waste Manag 23:403–409

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mendes MR, Aramaki T, Hanaki K (2004) Comparison of the environmental impact of incineration and landfilling in São Paulo City as determined by LCA. Resourse Conservation and Recycling 41(1):47–63

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michaud J, Farrant L, Jan O, Kjaer B, Bakas I (2010) Environmental benefits of recycling update. Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Miliute J, Kazimieras Staniškis J (2010) Application of life-cycle assessment in optimization of municipal waste management systems: the case of Lithuania. Waste Management and Research 28:298–308

  • Mor S, Ravindra K, Visscher AD, Dahiya RP, Chandra A (2006) Municipal solid waste characterization and its assessment for potential methane generation: a case study. Journal of Science of the Total Environment 37(1):1–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morris J, Matthews HS, Morawski C (2013) Review and meta-analysis of 82 studies on end-of-life management methods for source separated organics. Waste management 33(3):545–551

  • Othman SN, Noor ZZ, Abba AH, Yusuf RO, Hassan MAA (2013) Review on life cycle assessment of integrated solid waste management in some Asian countries. Cleaner Production 41:251–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Otoma S, Mori Y, Terazono A, Aso T, Sameshima R (1997) Estimation of energy recovery and reduction of CO2 emissions in municipal solid waste power generation. Resources Conservation and Recycling 20:95–117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ozeler D, Yetis U, Demirer GN (2006) Life cycle assessment of municipal solid waste management methods: Ankara case study. Environ Int 32:405–411

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pandyaswargo AH, Onoda H, Nagata K (2012) Energy recovery potential and life cycle impact assessment of municipal solid waste management technologies in Asian countries using ELP model. Energy and Environmental Engineering:1–11

  • Periathamby A, Hamid FS, Khidzir K (2009) Evolution of solid waste management in Malaysia: impacts and implications of the solid waste bill, 2007. Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management 11:96–103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Phuntsho S, Dulal I, Yangden D, Tenzin UM, Herat S, Shon H, Vigneswaran S (2010) Studying municipal solid waste generation and composition in the urban areas of Bhutan. Waste Management and Research 28(6):545–551

  • Pires A, Chang N, Martinho G (2011) Reliability-based life cycle assessment for future solid waste management alternatives in Portugal. Int J Life Cycle Assess 16:316–337

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ray MR, Roy Choudhury S, Mukherjee G, Roy S, Lahiri T (2005) Respiratory and general health impairments of workers employed in a municipal solid waste disposal at open landfill site in Delhi. Int J Hyg Environ Health 108(4):255–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salah AS, Abu-Draisc A (2013) MSW composition analysis-case study: Amman City, Jordan. D-waste.

  • Saner D, Walser T, Vadenbo CO (2012) End-of-life and waste management in life cycle assessment Zurich, 6 December 2011. Int J Life Cycle Assess 17:504–510

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SCAD (2013) Waste Statistics in the Emairte of Abu Dhabi 2011, in: Dhabi, T.C.o.W.M.A (Ed.). The Statistics Center, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

  • Sharholy M, Ahmad K, Mahmood G, Trivedi RC (2008) Municipal solid waste management in Indian cities—a review. Waste Manag 28(2):459–467

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shekdar AV (2009) Sustainable solid waste management: an integrated approach for Asian countries. Waste Manag 29:1438–1448

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh RP, Tyagi VV, Allen T, Ibrahim MH, Kothari R (2011) An overview for exploring the possibilities of energy generation from municipal solid waste (MSW) in Indian scenario. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 15(9):4797–4808

  • Suocheng D, Tong KW, Yuping Y (2001) Municipal solid waste management in China: using commercial management to solve a growing problem. Util Policy 10:7–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tan RBH, Khoo HH (2006) Impact assessment of waste management options in Singapore. Journal of Air Waste Management Association 56:244–254

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tan ST, Hashim H, Lim JS, Ho WS, Lee CT, Yan J (2014) Energy and emissions benefits of renewable energy derived from municipal solid waste: analysis of a low carbon scenario in Malaysia. Applied Energy 136:797–804

  • The European environment (EEA) (2008) Waste state and impacts (Turkey), http://www.eea.europa.eu/soer/countries/tr/waste-state-and-impacts-turkey. 1 June 2015.

  • Tulokhonova A, Ulanova O (2013) Assessment of municipal solid waste management scenarios in Irkutsk (Russia) using a life cycle assessment integrated waste management model. Waste Management & Research. Feb 26:0734242X13476745

  • UN-Habitat United Nations Centre for Human Settlement (2010) Solid waste in the world’s cities–third global report on water and sanitation in the world’s cities. Earthscan Publications, London

    Google Scholar 

  • UNEP (2011) Towards a Green Economy: Pathways to Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

  • United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (2009) Developing Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan Training Manual, Volume 4, ISWM Plan.

  • United Nations (UN) (2000) State of the environment in Asia and the pacific. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific, and Asian Development Bank (UNESCAP and ADB). United Nations publications, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Villanueva A, Wenzel H (2007) Paper waste-recycling, incineration or landfilling? A review of existing life cycle assessments. Waste Manag 27(8):S29–S46

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Visvanathan C (2006) Domestic solid waste management in South Asia. 3R South Asia Expert Workshop 30 August-1 September 2006, Kathmandu, Nepal

  • Wanichpongpan W, Gheewala SH (2007) LCA as a decision support tool for landfill gas-to-energy projects. Cleaner Production 15(18):1819–1826

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waste Management World (WMW) (2015) UK waste management: growing old or growing clean. http://www.waste-management worldcom/articles/print/volume-14/issue-3/features/uk-waste-management-growing-old-or-growing-clean.html. 2 June 2015.

  • Weitz KA, Thorneloe SA, Nishtala SR, Yarkosky S, Zannes M (2002) The impact of municipal solid waste management on greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Journal of Air &Waste Management Association 52:1000–1100

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson D, Rodic L, Scheinberg A, Velis C, Alabaster G (2012) Comparative analysis of solid waste management in 20 cities. Waste Management and Research 30:237–254

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winkler J, Bilitewski B (2007) Comparative evaluation of life cycle assessment models for solid waste management. Waste Manag 27:1021–1031

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • World Bank (1999) What a waste: solid waste management in Asia. Urban waste management, Page no 20, Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A

  • World Bank (2012) What a waste a global review of solid waste management. Urban Development Series Knowledge Paper No. 15, Washington, DC

  • World Bank (2015) Country and Lending Groups. http://data.worldbank.org/about/country-and-lending-groups 16 April 2015.

  • Yassin L, Lettieri P, Simons SRJ, Germana A (2009) Techno-economic performance of energy-from-waste fluidized bed combustion and gasification processes in the UK context. Chem Eng 146(3):315–327

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yay ASE (2015) Application of life cycle assessment (LCA) for municipal solid waste management: a case study of Sakarya. J Clean Prod 94:284–293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zaman AU (2010) Comparative study of municipal solid waste treatment technologies using life cycle assessment method. Environmental Science Technology 7(2):225–234

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zayani A and Riad M (2010) Solid waste management, overview and current state in Egypt. Short paper, Reviewed and edited by Maggie Riad.

  • Zhang DQ, Tan SK, Gersberg RM (2010) Municipal solid waste management in China: status, problems and challenges. J Environ Manag 91:1623–1633

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhen-shan L, Lei Y, Xiao-Yan Q, Yu-mei S (2009) Municipal solid waste management in Beijing City. Waste Manag 29(10):2618–2624

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, 826004, India

    Pooja Yadav & S. R. Samadder

Authors
  1. Pooja Yadav
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. R. Samadder
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. R. Samadder.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yadav, P., Samadder, S.R. A global prospective of income distribution and its effect on life cycle assessment of municipal solid waste management: a review. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 9123–9141 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8441-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8441-7

Keywords

Profiles

  1. Pooja Yadav View author profile