Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for Waste-To-Energy Plants Within Europe

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for Waste-to-Energy plants within Europe

Jan L.C. Manders

The European Union is promoting life cycle thinking as a quantitative way of environmental analysis. (

The Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants (CEWEP), has carried out a LCA study representative for the Waste to Energy operations within Europe according to the internationally standardized methodology ISO 14040

This exercise comprised the following:

- Waste composition data across Europe were analyzed to establish the average composition of the feedstock going into WtE plants

- Using actual data the average WtE plant design and operation was modeled

- Actual data on mass & energy balance, emission to atmosphere, composition of bottom ash and flue gas cleaning residues were analyzed

- Credits for the WtE operation as the result of its energy and metals output e.g. for the avoidance of fossil fuel burnt in power plants were established

The system boundaries have been defined in such a way that waste streams and ancillary materials have been considered on the input side, whereas on the output side the streams were followed to their elementary flows (emissions) and the disposal of APC (Air Pollution Control) residues, the use of bottom ash and the credits for exported energy and metals were taken into account. The LCA carried out represents an absolute LCA, i.e. not performed relative to other waste treatment options.

The results of this exercise are presented in the form of a comprehensive quantitative Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) for a group of 10 impact categories as suggested by CML:

LCIA results shown in a normalized presentation

It can be concluded that the average Waste to Energy operation within Europe performs favourably in terms of its overall impact on the environment. The model which has been developed can be used to demonstrate the sensitivity to changes in the various input and operational parameters, and as such this may be a useful and balanced instrument to be used in communication with the various stakeholders in society.

JLC Manders short CV

Mr Manders is a Deputy President of CEWEP, which is the Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants, representing the interests of the WtE industry across Europe. In this role he is acting in particularly on behalf of the Waste to Energy Industry in the Netherlands, united in the Dutch Waste Management Association.

Since his retirement from AVR- van Gansewinkel in July 2008 Mr Manders is also acting as an independent strategy consultant in the area of Energy from Waste.

Until July 2008 Mr. Manders, was the Director External Affairs of AVR – Van Gansewinkel, which is the leading environmental management and waste processing company within the Benelux, formed in 2007 by the merger of AVR and Van Gansewinkel.

Mr. Manders joined AVR in 2000 as the director responsible for AVR’s Waste Processing business and worked in this role until 2007. This business represents a turnover of about 300 million euros and comprises a range of waste processing technologies among which 2 million tpa of incineration of household and commercial waste.

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