engleski

GHG reduction potential in waste management in Croatia

Purpose - This paper examines a greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction potential from different waste management practices in Croatia. Energetic, environmental and economic benefits can be accomplished by utilizing municipal solid waste (MSW) and landfill gas as fuel in industry and energy sector, which is emphasized in this paper. The paper gives an overview of measures for energy recovery from MSW and landfill gas that could be implemented in Croatia. These measures also represent measures for an additional GHG emission reduction by decreased use of fossil fuels. Design/methodology/approach - A methodology used for emission calculation (kinetic model) is explained. Three different scenarios of GHG reduction in waste management were defined. Implementation of best available techniques in waste management is envisaged by cross-sectoral impact and effect of respective measures. Findings - The paper gives maximum achievable potential of GHG emission reduction with defined measure implementation dynamics. It was calculated that around 1 million ton of CO2 can be avoided in 2020, which is 2.7% of projected GHG emissions in Croatia. The energy that could be recovered from waste (8.23 PJ in 2030) is relatively small in relation to the total final energy consumption in Croatia (about 3%). Research limitations/implications - A maximum potential for energy recovered from MSW and landfill gas in Croatia is presented. That potential is not very high but it could help in decreasing the country’s dependency on import of fossil fuels by diversifying its energy resources as well as increase use of renewable energy (at least in that part of the waste of organic origin). Practical implications - The paper could be appealing to both popular and scientific audience. The results shown in this paper can be used for improving the waste management system in order to reduce the GHG emissions from MSW management with acceptable costs. Scientific audience could use the results as a reference for evaluating other national or local waste management systems since the methodology used in this paper can be translated in other systems (e.g. specially of other Western Balkan countries with whom the Croatian waste management system bears the most similarities) and results can be compared. Also popular audience (such as decision makers in Croatia) can find its interest in examining different options in MSW management regarding GHG emissions, and energy recovered from waste. Originality/value - The novelty of this work is achieved through integrated approach to GHG emission reduction and energy potential from MSW management in Croatia. The GHG reduction potentials are calculated by taking into account dependencies and interactions between the measures.

Municipal solid waste; GHG emissions; Waste management; Waste to energy; Renewable energy source

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