Article: Environmental and economic modelling for municipal solid waste management strategies: a case study in OH, USA Journal: International Journal of Environmental Engineering (IJEE) 2025 Vol.13 No.1 pp.12 - 35 Abstract: Management strategies for municipal solid waste (MSW) have been conducted concerning greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for cities and large geographical regions, but few have been conducted related to GHG emissions from a single facility. This study fills that gap by evaluating economic cost, and social cost of CO2e for the treatment of MSW streams for a single large facility in Ohio, USA moving towards a zero waste to landfill strategy. A total of eight scenarios related to varying IWM strategies at the facility were studied. Life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted using the Integrated Waste Management Model (IWM) to find the best potential integrated MSW management strategy. The results indicated that the economic cost and social cost of CO2e decreased by 49.05% and 2.25 times respectively compared with the current scenario by increasing the recycling rate for the facility by 50%, diverting 30% of food waste to AD processing (from 0%), incinerating the rest of the waste for energy, and sending little to zero waste to landfills. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

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Title: Environmental and economic modelling for municipal solid waste management strategies: a case study in OH, USA

Authors: Zonghua Xu; Lakshika Kuruppuarachchi; Alex Spivak; Matthew J. Franchetti

Addresses: Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, USA ' Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, USA ' Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, USA ' Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, USA

Abstract: Management strategies for municipal solid waste (MSW) have been conducted concerning greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for cities and large geographical regions, but few have been conducted related to GHG emissions from a single facility. This study fills that gap by evaluating economic cost, and social cost of CO₂e for the treatment of MSW streams for a single large facility in Ohio, USA moving towards a zero waste to landfill strategy. A total of eight scenarios related to varying IWM strategies at the facility were studied. Life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted using the Integrated Waste Management Model (IWM) to find the best potential integrated MSW management strategy. The results indicated that the economic cost and social cost of CO₂e decreased by 49.05% and 2.25 times respectively compared with the current scenario by increasing the recycling rate for the facility by 50%, diverting 30% of food waste to AD processing (from 0%), incinerating the rest of the waste for energy, and sending little to zero waste to landfills.

Keywords: zero waste to landfill; GHG emissions; CO₂e social cost; municipal solid waste; life cycle assessment; LCA; integrated waste management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEE.2025.143505

International Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2025 Vol.13 No.1, pp.12 - 35

Accepted: 12 Apr 2022
Published online: 30 Dec 2024 *

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Title: Environmental and economic modelling for municipal solid waste management strategies: a case study in OH, USA

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