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Integrated waste management as a climate change stabilization wedge
1 Covanta Energy
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: Bbahor{at}covantaenergy.com.
Anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gas emissions are known to contribute to global increases in greenhouse gas concentrations and are widely believed to contribute to climate change. A reference carbon dioxide concentration of 383 ppm for 2007 is projected to increase to a nominal 500 ppm in less than 50 years according to business as usual models. This concentration change is equivalent to an increase of 7 billion tonnes of carbon per year (7 Gt C year–1). The concept of a stabilization wedge was introduced by Pacala and Socolow (Science, 305, 968–972, 2004) to break the 7 Gt C year–1 into more manageable 1 Gt C year–1 reductions that would be achievable with current technology. A total of fifteen possible 'wedges' were identified; however, an integrated municipal solid waste (MSW) management system based on the European Union's waste management hierarchy was not evaluated as a wedge. This analysis demonstrates that if the tonnage of MSW is allocated to recycling, waste to energy and landfilling in descending order in lieu of existing 'business-as-usual' practices with each option using modern technology and best practices, the system would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 1 Gt C year–1. This integrated waste management system reduces CO2 by displacing fossil electrical generation and avoiding manufacturing energy consumption and methane emissions from landfills.
First published on October 6, 2009, doi:10.1177/0734242X09350485 |
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