Ecological, energetic and economic comparison of anaerobic digestion with different competing technologies to treat biogenic wastes

In order to get more detailed information for better decision making in future biogenic waste treatment, different processes to treat biogenic wastes in plants with a treating capacity of 10,000 tons of organic household wastes per year were compared. The comparison included life cycle assessments a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water Science & Technology 2000-01, Vol.41 (3), p.263-273
Main Authors: EDELMANN, W, SCHLELSS, K, JOSS, A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alternative energy sources
Anaerobic digestion
Anaerobic processes
Anaerobic treatment
Bacteria, Anaerobic - metabolism
Biodegradation, Environmental
Biogas
Biological and medical sciences
Biological treatment of sewage sludges and wastes
Biotechnology
Capacity
Composting
Composts
Construction costs
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Decision making
Digestion
Ecology
Electricity
Emission measurements
Energy balance
Environment and pollution
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Household wastes
Incineration
Incineration plants
Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects
Landfill
Life cycle
Life cycle analysis
Life cycle engineering
Life cycles
Measurement methods
Organic wastes
Raw materials
Refuse Disposal - economics
Refuse Disposal - methods
Renewable resources
Switzerland
Waste treatment
Wastes
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Summary:In order to get more detailed information for better decision making in future biogenic waste treatment, different processes to treat biogenic wastes in plants with a treating capacity of 10,000 tons of organic household wastes per year were compared. The comparison included life cycle assessments as well as economic considerations for different treating methods. Measurements on compost plants showed that methane emissions are higher than estimated so far. With the tools ECOINDICATOR and UBP anaerobic digestion shows to be advantageous as compared to composting, incineration or combination of digestion and composting, mainly because of a better energy balance. In fully enclosed, professional treatment plants, the specific biotechnological treatment costs are in the range of about 150.-sFr/ton for aerobic, anaerobic and combined technologies. It can be concluded, that anaerobic processes will become considerably more important in the future mainly for ecological reasons.
ISSN:0273-1223
1996-9732
DOI:10.2166/wst.2000.0080