Technical Development of Waste Sector in Sweden: Survey

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MASTER’S THESIS IN ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES RESEARCH Though, life-cycle assessment (LCA) model is the principal decision support tool, LCA has limitations (Christensen et al., 2007) and restriction on developing certain comparative model (Ekvall et al., 2007). Different LCA methods (Finnveden et al., 2007) and models like MSW: DST, IWM, THE IFEU PROJECT, ORWARE, or EASEWASTE (Christensen et al., 2006) have been used to assess environmental impacts associated with the waste. However, all of these models have different analytical perspectives and applicability in identifying the environmental burdens by solid waste. Moreover, LCA has scope for economical valuation of the waste known as life cycle cost analysis (LCCA). In this research, only environmental assessment has been considered. KUNGLIGA TEKNISKA HÖGSKOLAN 28 | Page
MASTER’S THESIS IN ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES RESEARCH 5. RESULTS & DISCUSSIONS The study has covered three different aspects consisting of analysis of the key drivers responsible for waste technology development, identification of emerging waste treatment technologies for Sweden and analysis of environmental burdens of emerging technology through LCA model. The results of the study are presented in three different sections below: 1. Waste management development drivers 2. Emerging waste treatment technologies for Sweden 3. LCA of emerging technology 5.1 Waste Management Development Drivers Waste management sector involves multidisciplinary issues and development of waste technologies includes different social, economical, environmental and technological aspects. There are two type of drivers that acting technical development of waste sector in Sweden: a) local drivers and 2) global drivers. Some of the drivers are working from the local level whereas the other is acting in the global level. Brief descriptions of the driving actors, based on the Swedish context are given below 5.1.1 Socio-economic drivers Indigenous or local people’s practices have significant influence in waste management system. Historically, people adopt with the time and depending on the local culture, they are habituated with different practices. For example, people sorted out things from early of the history depending on the value (monetary or nonmonetary value) that the things might posses. Generation of waste is depending on the consumption of the resources and result shows that, generation of waste is influenced by the economical growth of a country. Waste management system is always related with public health. Therefore, from the public health safety perspective, development of waste management has influenced significantly. 5.1.2 Environmental drivers Global climate change is one of the leading environmental problems, which is kept in mind forevery development strategies in the recent years. Emission of hazardous gases in the atmosphere like Carbon dioxide, SOx, NOx, heavy metal or dioxins emission from the waste management facilities are the leading environmental cancers of technical development in waste sector. In the early of the waste management system in Sweden, dioxin emission as well as other air emissions has significant impact on environment compared to the present technological development. Environmental awareness and regulation of standard emission limits to air or water lead the improvement of technology of waste management system in Sweden. Carbon emissions to atmosphere and leachate pollution to the ground water from landfill are still the major sources of environmental pollution in Sweden. Therefore, environmental awareness and safety lead to the development of emerging technologies in waste sector. KUNGLIGA TEKNISKA HÖGSKOLAN 29 | Page
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Technical Development of Waste Sector in Sweden: Survey

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