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Table 1 Application of MFA and LCA on waste management

From: Material flow analysis and life cycle assessment of solid waste management in urban green areas, Thailand

Application

Waste type

Geographical scope

Functional unit

Impact coverage

Conclusions

Ref.

MFA /LCA

MSW

the city of Cardiff, Wales

Management of 168,526 t of MSW in Cardiff, collected between April 2012 and March 2013

GHG

- Evaluate a complex, multi waste stream at the meso- level.

- Demonstrates the use of complementary methodologies of MFA and LCA in combination to provide valuable information about the environmental performance of a SWM system.

[3]

MFA/consequential LCA

Waste paper and cardboard

Spain

Recycling of 1 t of waste paper collected in Spain (Nationally and internationally)

GHG

- The future GHG quantifications should be based on the flows described by MFA and quantified using consequential LCA because methodologies that accurately account for GHG are necessary for decision-making.

[14]

MFA/LCA

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)waste

Thailand

Management of post-consumer PVC waste generated during 2013–2014

GWP, Energy use

- MFA successful estimated PVC waste flows while LCA evaluated environmental impacts of PVC waste management

[15]

MFA/LCA

Food waste

Daejeon Metropolitan City in Korea.

Management of 1 t of food waste generated from households and small-scale restaurants

GWP, Acidification potential, Eutrophication potential, and photochemical ozone creation potential

- MFA and LCA were used to quantify the potential environmental impacts of food waste management.

[16]

MFA/LCA

MSW

Switzerland

Treatment of all MSW generated in Switzerland, 2012.

Cumulative exergy demand climate change, human toxicity and eco-toxicity

- The modular MFA/LCA design allows for a detailed assessment of recycling and thermal treatment pathways as well as national waste management strategies.

[17]