International Journal of Environmental Science and Development

Abstract—Life cycle assessment (LCA) is gaining wider acceptance as a method that evaluates the environmental burdens associated with a product, process or activity by identifying and quantifying the energy, materials used and wastes released to the environment. It is also considered as one of the best environmental management tools that can be used to compare alternative eco-performances of recycling or disposal systems. In this study, life cycle assessment of municipal solid waste (MSW) is reviewed to protect global environment and to control waste in the state of Kuwait. As the incremental population in Kuwait results in a dramatic increase in the MSW and unfortunately, the waste management system in the region has not been properly managed, yet. The study aimed to analyze potential environmental burdens of different waste-to-energy technologies through LCA model. The results of an attributional life cycle assessment (LCA) study are presented for three scenarios reflecting the management of municipal solid waste (MSW). The first (baseline) scenario reflects the current treatment of MSW, where plastic solid waste (PSW) and organics are landfilled. Scenarios II and III encompass a low-temperature pyrolysis (LTP) and hydrocracker units, respectively.
It was found that a reduction of 75% in global warming potential (GWP), acidification potential (AP), photochemical eutrophication potentials (EP) and ozone creation (POCP) due to re-routing the PSW and Organics also, Incineration units Combined Heat and Power (IU-CHP) were found as huge reduction contributor of the studied pollutants over and above the Thermo-Chemical Treatment (TCT) unit.

Index Terms—Municipal solid waste (MSW), waste-to-energy (WTE), life cycle assessment (LCA), incineration landfill.

Ayed A. Al-Fadhli is with Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, P.O. Box 26565, 13126, Safat, Kuwait (e-mail: ayf@kpc.com.kw).

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Cite: Ayed A. Al-Fadhli, "Assessment of Environmental Burdens of the Current Disposal Method of Municipal Solid Waste in Kuwait vs. Waste-to-Energy Using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)," International Journal of Environmental Science and Development vol. 7, no. 5, pp. 389-394, 2016.