A life cycle-based scenario analysis framework for municipal solid waste management

A framework for the systematic analysis of the material flows and the life cycle environmental performance of municipal solid waste (MSW) management scenarios is described in this article. This framework is capable of predicting the response of waste treatment processes to the changes in waste streams composition that inevitably arise in MSW management systems. The fundamental idea is that the inputs (raw materials and energy) and outputs (final products, emissions, etc.) into/from treatment processes are previously allocated to the specific waste materials contained in the input waste stream. Aggregated indicators like life cycle environmental impacts can then be allocated to waste materials, allowing systematic scenario analyses. The framework is generic and flexible, and can easily be adapted to other types of assessments, such as economic analysis and optimization.