Environmental assessment of municipal solid waste landfill preceded or not by composting plants

ABSTRACT

The present paper compared the potential environmental impact generated by two representative scenarios in two different ways of managing household waste: the first one considering a central sorting and sanitary landfill, and the second one considering a central sorting, composting and sanitary landfill. Data analysis was based on the phases of a Life Cycle Analysis: goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, evaluation of potential environmental impacts, interpretation of results and critical evaluation. Flowchart of processes was developed, boundaries of systems were defined, and it was elaborated block diagrams and spreadsheets of the environmental aspects and impacts. It was noticed in the inventory that the data are in favor of Scenario 2 (composting before sanitary landfill) regarding waste generation and atmospheric emissions. The assessment of Environmental Aspects and Impacts (AEAI) of Scenario 1 (sorting of recyclables, in which all waste is sent to landfill) showed that 22.2% of environmental aspects and impacts were assessed as significant (i.e. ranked as "unacceptable" or "serious"). The result of AEAI from Scenario 2 was 17.6% of total assessed, which data is also favorable to this Scenario. In both scenarios, the more relevant significant aspect was related to atmospheric emissions identified in the processes of collection and transportation of waste, and final disposition of rejects.

Keywords:
landfill; composting; environmental impact.