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Development of a Methodological Framework for the Evaluation of the Material and Energy Recovery Potential of Municipal Solid Waste Management: Implementation in Five Greek Regions

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Abstract

Problem

According to the Landfill Directive, the proportion of municipal waste disposed of in landfills should be reduced to 10% w/w or less of the total amount of municipal waste generated by 2035. It should be highlighted that even though the regional waste management plans in Greece took into consideration the recycling targets set by the European Union, the proportion of municipal waste disposed of by landfilling was about 80% w/w in 2020.

Purpose

The present study aims to introduce a methodological framework for the calculation of residues from facilities foreseen in regional waste management plans and the potential of its utilization for energy recovery.

Methodology

The methodology for the development and implementation of the decision support tool concerned the registration of treatment facilities, the estimation of recyclables and residues derived from them, the calculation of maximum volume or residues for achieving the recycling targets and the circular economy objective, the assessment of quality composition of residues, and the assessment of energy recovery potential.

Findings

Up to 270 GWh of electricity per year could be generated from a supposed thermal treatment of residues from recycling, while targets concerning recycling and waste management in the frame of circular economy objective can been achieved.

Conclusions

The proposed methodological framework can be utilized as a decision support tool by relevant decision makers, and can be applied both for the evaluation of the regional waste management plans, which directly affect national recycling and circular economy targets set by European Union environment policy.

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Abbreviations

BTF:

biowaste treatment facility

CE:

circular economy

EC:

European Commission

GHG:

greenhouse gas

MRF:

material recovery facility

MSW:

municipal solid waste

MVC:

model–view–controller

MWMP:

Municipal Waste Management Plans

RSC:

Recycling Sorting Center

RWMP:

Regional Waste Management Plan

WMP:

Waste Management Plan

WtE:

Waste-to-Energy

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Availability of data and material

The authors state that data supporting the results reported in the article can be found including, where applicable, hyperlinks to publicly archived datasets analyzed or generated during the study.

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Funding

This research has been supported by Region Solid Waste Management Association of Central Macedonia, Greece.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Environmental Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aristotle University, GR-54124, Thessaloniki, Greece

    G. Perkoulidis, A. Malamakis & N. Moussiopoulos

  2. Institute for Bio-economy and Agri-technology (iBO), Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, GR-57001, Thermi, Thessaloniki, Greece

    G. Banias

Authors
  1. G. Perkoulidis
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  2. A. Malamakis
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  3. G. Banias
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  4. N. Moussiopoulos
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Correspondence to G. Perkoulidis.

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Perkoulidis, G., Malamakis, A., Banias, G. et al. Development of a Methodological Framework for the Evaluation of the Material and Energy Recovery Potential of Municipal Solid Waste Management: Implementation in Five Greek Regions. Circ.Econ.Sust. 2, 313–326 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-021-00083-4

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