Title: Environmental assessment of municipal solid waste management in developing countries: a case study in Southern Brazil

Authors: Adilson Moacir Becker Júnior; Adriane De Assis Lawisch Rodríguez; Adan William Da Silva Trentin; Ênio Leandro Machado; Pâmela Andréa Mantey Dos Santos; Diosnel Antonio Rodríguez Lopez

Addresses: Department of Engineering, Architecture and Computing, University of Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC), Santa Cruz do Sul, 96815-900, RS, Brazil ' Department of Engineering, Architecture and Computing, University of Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC), Santa Cruz do Sul, 96815-900, RS, Brazil; Graduate Program in Environmental Technology, University of Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC), Santa Cruz do Sul, 96815-900, RS, Brazil ' Graduate Program in Environmental Technology, University of Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC), Santa Cruz do Sul, 96815-900, RS, Brazil ' Department of Engineering, Architecture and Computing, University of Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC), Santa Cruz do Sul, 96815-900, RS, Brazil; Department of Chemical and Physics, University of Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC), Santa Cruz do Sul, 96815-900, RS, Brazil ' Graduate Program in Environmental Technology, University of Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC), Santa Cruz do Sul, 96815-900, RS, Brazil ' Department of Engineering, Architecture and Computing, University of Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC), Santa Cruz do Sul, 96815-900, RS, Brazil; Graduate Program in Environmental Technology, University of Santa Cruz do Sul (UNISC), Santa Cruz do Sul, 96815-900, RS, Brazil

Abstract: The present study aimed to develop a life cycle assessment (LCA) study of municipal solid waste management in Vera Cruz, RS, Brazil, to evaluate conventional waste management system, sorting of recyclable materials and composting treatment; integrated waste management with sorting of recyclable and composting facilities; optimised integrated waste management for recyclable and composting assumptions (80% and 85%, respectively). Results show that in the optimised integrated waste management, it is possible to reduce impacts in the global warming and acidification categories by 65% and 52%, respectively, whereas intermediate scenarios are projected to reduce these impacts by lesser amounts. Transportation and the final destination of the waste are among the waste management stages with the greatest environmental impacts. This LCA can quantify the magnitude of potential environmental impacts and may be used in decision-making process to identify the best scenario management.

Keywords: solid waste management; recycling; composting; environmental categories; global warming; decision-making; public strategies; environmental sustainability; environmental impact; life cycle assessment; LCA; Brazil.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2021.118372

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2021 Vol.28 No.3, pp.386 - 405

Received: 25 Dec 2018
Accepted: 29 Aug 2019
Published online: 25 Oct 2021 *

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