Waste management – Mitigation
The most important source of emissions in waste management is methane released from landfill sites. The methane that passes through the surface layers of landfill sites is about half of all Finland’s methane emissions. In addition, methane is released by composting biodegradable waste. Direct greenhouse gas emissions caused by waste management are from the energy consumption used in the transport and processing of waste.
Consumer behaviour and product design have the greatest significance on the emissions of waste management
Waste management returns the waste material produced and energy used in consumption back into production processes and dumps the part that cannot be put to beneficial use in landfill sites. After sorting paper, cardboard, metals, glass and other separately collected waste, what is left is mixed waste of varying quality.
The largest environmental effects of materials that end up as waste are generated in the production stage
The average Finn produces about 300 kilogrammes of mixed waste and a total of over 500 kilos of waste a year. The greatest impact on the environment from this waste is generated when the products are manufactured and transported to the shop and finally taken home. Production processes, product design and consumer behaviour thus have a greater significance with regard to greenhouse gas emissions than waste management approaches. The consumer determines through their behaviour in sorting waste, however, how well the materials and energy contained in waste can be recycled.
Recycling waste as raw material reduces the consumption of natural resources
Reprocessing once used materials as raw material often uses less energy and natural resources than the manufacture of a new product from virgin raw materials. Metal, glass and clean plastic are suitable almost as they are for the production of new metal, glass and plastic products. Recycled paper is a suitable raw material for new newsprint and tissue papers. Biological waste can be treated in a bio-gas plant and can be composted to produce soil or a source of nutrients for fields. Paperboard and cardboard can be used to produce sleeves and board for packing.
Waste can be used to moderate climate change by using it in energy generation instead of fossil fuels. Many kinds of waste can be used as fuels just as they are. In addition biodegradable waste can be used to produce gaseous fuels by treating it in a bio-gas plant.
Checklist
Waste management: Does mixed waste from the area still end up in landfill? If so, where would the closest incinerator be?
Recovery of mixed waste as energy to replace fossil fuels
| Strengths, factors in favour |
Weaknesses, uncertainties |
Costs, economic impacts |
| Methane emissions from mixed waste in landfills will reduce. |
Traffic volumes will increase in the vicinity of the waste incineration plant. |
- High cost of investment in the incineration plant. |
| Methane emissions from mixed waste in landfills will reduce. |
Residents in the vicinity of the waste incineration plant may oppose the plant - open information and handling of problems will usually help. |
+ Selling the energy generates revenues. |
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There must be demand for energy produced from incinerated waste. |
+ Need for landfill space reduced and longer lifespan for the landfill. |
Waste management: Is separate collection of biowaste available in the region? Is biowaste from the region treated using a biogas process? Have possibilities for regional co-operation in biowaste treatment been examined?
Organise separate collection of biowaste. Recover the energy contents of biowaste as electricity or heat produced from biogas (digestion plant).
| Strengths, factors in favour |
Weaknesses, uncertainties |
Costs, economic impacts |
| Produce bio-based energy to replace heat or power produced from fossil fuels, thus reduce emissions. |
Treatment of waste waters from the plant may cause problems, this requires attention at planning stage. |
- Investment costs may be high. |
| Regionally, municipal, agricultural and food industry waste may be combined to reach sufficient volumes. |
The Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira's regulations and instructions on recovery possibilities of digestate must be observed at the planning stage. |
+ Selling the energy generates revenues. |
| Digestate can be utilised as soil conditioner or to replace peat in landscaping, to save emissions resulting from peat extraction. |
Possibilities for utilising energy (heat in particular) in the vicinity may be limited. |
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Waste management: Does the municipality provide a variety of waste management services for waste sorting (collection from properties, local collection points)?
Sorting points, collection and recovery as material provided at least for paper, cardboard, metal and plastic
| Strengths, factors in favour |
Weaknesses, uncertainties |
Costs, economic impacts |
| Cardboard and paper, and the methane emissions they produce when decomposing are removed from landfills. |
Products made of recycled raw materials must replace products made of virgin raw materials in order to generate savings. |
-/+ Establishing of sorting points, and organising collection and transports incurs costs but collection and transport costs have to be paid in any case even if these waste fractions were included in mixed waste. |
| Wood used as raw material for cardboard and paper is saved and it can be used for energy production instead of fossil fuels. |
Demand and markets must exist for products made of recycled raw materials. |
+ When less waste is placed in landfill, the service life of landfills is prolonged. |
| The use of recycled raw materials in production of metals decreases the energy consumption of the process by as much as 90% (aluminium) in comparison with virgin raw material. |
Consumers may be suspicious of products made of recycled raw materials. |
+ Recycled raw materials may bring sales revenue. |
| Recycling of plastic and use as raw material for new plastic reduces energy consumption in plastic production remarkably. |
Impurities of plastic collected from consumers may constitute obstacles for recycling. |
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| When waste management is taken into account in product design (e.g. choice of materials), recovery after use is promoted. |
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Information and communication: Have campaigns been organised in the municipality to make residents aware of the environmental impact of consumption and to encourage sustainable consumption? Are the themes of recycling and sustainable consumption included in the municipality’s early childhood education plan (day-care centres, schools)?
Day-care centres and schools participate in the Green Flag environmental education programme of the Finnish Association for Environmental Education; Teaching and educational material focussing on sustainable consumption, recycling and climate change compiled for day-care centres and schools
| Strengths, factors in favour |
Weaknesses, uncertainties |
Costs, economic impacts |
| Children grow into an environment-protecting attitude and they communicate these ideals in the home environment, too. |
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+ Teaching material and instructions available for free on the Web, instructors save working hours when ready-made material is available. |
| The energy consumption habits of future adults are ecologically sustainable and the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions they produce remains low. |
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Energy saving and energy efficiency: In the conditions for the competitive tender process for waste transport are there requirements set for training drivers in economic driving habits and specific emissions for vehicles?
Emphasis on energy efficiency as purchasing criterion for waste transports; Promoting economic driving habits and monitoring of fuel consumption in waste transport
| Strengths, factors in favour |
Weaknesses, uncertainties |
Costs, economic impacts |
| Energy efficiency criteria may emphasise the fuel consumption of machinery or driving training for drivers. |
Criteria must be defined clearly when planning acquisitions. |
+ Lower fuel consumption decreases transport costs. |
| Lower energy consumption of waste transport equipment and less emissions. |
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+ Higher demand usually pulls prices down (here, those of equipment). |
| Demand increases supply of energy efficient equipment and services. |
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+ Lower repair and material costs caused by accidents. |
| An economic driving method is proactive and steady, a lower number of stops saves tyres and brakes from wear. Traffic safety improves, too. |
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+ Less fuel consumption and lower costs. |
| Monitoring of fuel consumption concretises the impacts of changes in driving methods. |
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Renewable energy: Is the landfill gas for the area flared or is the energy content of methane utilised?
Recovery of the energy content of landfill gas as heat or power (or both)
| Strengths, factors in favour |
Weaknesses, uncertainties |
Costs, economic impacts |
| Bio-based energy generated for instance to cover the energy needs of landfill properties. |
There are not always parties who would utilise the heat in the vicinity of the landfill. |
- Investment costs may be high. |
| Heat or power produced with fossil fuels can be replaced, thus reducing emissions. |
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+ The need for purchasing power and heat to the landfill decreases and this generates cost savings. |
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+ Selling the energy generates revenues. |