International Review of Waste Management Policy - Department of ...

63.0 Externalities of Waste Management Options
The following residual treatments are considered within our analysis:
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1. Landfill of untreated material;
2. Incineration (generation of electricity only);
3. Two MBT treatment processes:
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a. Aerobic Stabilisation (with pre-treated output sent to landfill);
b. Aerobic Biodrying producing SRF sent to incineration (generating
electricity only) with rejected material stabilised prior to being sent to
landfill.
We have considered emissions of greenhouse gases and the impacts upon air quality
that are expected to result from the treatment process, including both direct and
indirect impacts (the latter relating to avoided impacts associated with energy
generation and the recycling of materials).
Our approach is to apply external damage costs to emissions of greenhouse gases
and a range of air pollutants, allowing for the quantification of impacts in monetary
terms.
As highlighted in Annex 61.0, this type of analysis is complex and is affected by a
number of variables and parameters. The analysis that follows is focussed upon
emissions to air. Whilst waste treatment processes may also in some cases affect soil
and water quality, data regarding the precise nature of these impacts is less than
robust. Similarly, we have not included damage costs associated with disamenity of
waste treatment facilities, as estimates of disamenity costs vary considerably
between the different sources, and no studies are available of this nature on MBT
treatment processes, whilst few are available for landfill and incineration. This
omission is likely to be the more significant of the omissions if one takes the view that
well-regulated processes are unlikely to have significant effects of water and soils.
This section outlines the approach taken within our analysis. Section 63.1 discusses
the generic assumptions which apply to each of the treatment technologies under
consideration. These include assumptions relating to energy generation, and the
external damage costs applied to each of the air pollutants. This is followed by
sections on each of the residual waste treatment technologies in turn. A summary of
the results – presented in terms of the external damage costs attributed to each of
the treatment technologies - is provided in Section 63.6.
63.1 Generic Assumptions for Treatment Technologies
This section describes the underlying assumptions common to all treatment
technologies under consideration within the current analysis.
63.1.1 External Costs
Our approach has been as follows: