title: A historical perspective of Global Warming Potential from Municipal Solid Waste Management.
abstract: The Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) sector has developed considerably during the past century, paving the way for maximum resource (materials and energy) recovery and minimising environmental impacts such as global warming associated with it. The current study is assessing the historical development of MSWM in the municipality of Aalborg, Denmark throughout the period of 1970 to 2010, and its implications regarding Global Warming Potential (GWP(100)), using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach. Historical data regarding MSW composition, and different treatment technologies such as incineration, recycling and composting has been used in order to perform the analysis. The LCA results show a continuous improvement in environmental performance of MSWM from 1970 to 2010 mainly due to the changes in treatment options, improved efficiency of various treatment technologies and increasing focus on recycling, resulting in a shift from net emission of 618 kg CO(2)-eq.tonne(-1) to net saving of 670 kg CO(2)-eq.tonne(-1) of MSWM.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology and Environmental Technology, University of Southern Denmark, Niels Bohr's Alle 1, 5230 Odense M, Denmark. koh@kbm.sdu.dk
authors.forename: Komal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Habib
authors.forename: Jannick H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Christensen
mesh_terms: D002947:Cities; D003718:Denmark; D005740:Gases / Q000032:analysis; D057232:Global Warming; D017752:Greenhouse Effect; D017745:Incineration / Q000379:methods; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods*; D012987:Soil
chemical_list: D005740:Gases; D012987:Soil
keywords: Global Warming Potential (GWP); Historical development; Incineration technology; Life Cycle Assessment (LCA); Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM)