Waste to Energy in Aalborg A Historical Perspective of Global Warming Impact based on Life Cycle Assessment Komal Habib Master Thesis Department of Development and Planning Aalborg University, Denmark. June 2011 Waste to Energy in Aalborg A Historical Perspective of Global Warming Impact based on Life Cycle Assessment Master Thesis Komal Habib MSc in Environmental Management Department of Development and Planning Aalborg University, Denmark Supervisor Prof. Per Christensen External Examiner Hanne Johnsen June 2011 No. of Copies: 3 No. of Pages: 99 Title Picture Source: http://www.microphilox.com/reference_01.htm Table of Contents Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................. i List of Abbreviations .............................................................................................................................. ii Abstract .................................................................................................................................................. iii 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Waste Management ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.2. History of Waste management Policy in EU ............................................................................... 2 1.3. Country Situation – Denmark ...................................................................................................... 3 1.4. Energy Recovery from Waste ...................................................................................................... 5 1.5. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in Waste Management ................................................................ 5 1.6. Problem Formulation and Research Questions ............................................................................ 6 1.7. Contents of Report ..................................................................................................................... 11 2. Theory and Methods ......................................................................................................................... 12 2.1. Theoretical Framework .............................................................................................................. 12 2.1.1. Waste Management Hierarchy and Global Warming ......................................................... 12 2.1.2. Energy Recovery from waste and Global Warming ........................................................... 14 2.1.3. Is Global warming the appropriate indicator for waste management? ................................ 15 2.1.4. How Life Cycle Thinking, Assessment and Management help in Reducing GWP100? ...... 16 2.2. Use of Research Strategy and Theory ........................................................................................ 19 2.2.1. Waste Management Plans and Strategies Analysis ............................................................. 19 2.2.2. LCA..................................................................................................................................... 19 2.3. Methodological Framework ....................................................................................................... 20 2.3.1. Data Collection ................................................................................................................... 20 2.3.2. Types of LCA ..................................................................................................................... 20 2.3.3. Structure & Components of LCA ....................................................................................... 21 2.3.4. Phases of LCA .................................................................................................................... 22 3. ‘’Waste to Energy’’ in Denmark ....................................................................................................... 24 3.1. History of ‘’Waste to Energy’’ in Denmark .............................................................................. 24 3.2. History of Waste Strategies in Denmark .................................................................................... 26 3.2.1. Waste Strategies from 1970 – 1987 .................................................................................... 27 3.2.2. Danish Waste Policy in 1987 .............................................................................................. 27 3.2.4. Waste 21 .............................................................................................................................. 28 3.2.5. Waste Strategy 2005- 2008 ................................................................................................. 29 3.2.6. Waste Strategy 2009- 2012 ................................................................................................. 29 3.2.7. Comparative Analysis of above described Waste Plans ..................................................... 30 4. Case Study – ‘’Waste to Energy’’ in Aalborg Municipality ............................................................. 35 4.1. City Profile ................................................................................................................................. 35 4.2. History of Waste Management Plans in Aalborg ....................................................................... 37 4.2.1. Waste Plan 1989.................................................................................................................. 37 4.2.2. Waste Plan for Household 1996 – 2007 .............................................................................. 37 4.2.3. Waste Plan 2000 – 2012...................................................................................................... 38 4.2.4. Waste Plan 2005 – 2016...................................................................................................... 38 4.2.5. Waste Plan 2008 – 2016...................................................................................................... 39 4.3. Waste situation in Aalborg ......................................................................................................... 39 4.4. ‘’Waste to Energy’’ in Aalborg ................................................................................................. 41 4.4.1. Reno Nord ........................................................................................................................... 42 5. Life Cycle Assessment ...................................................................................................................... 44 5.1. Phase 1- Goal and Scope Definition .......................................................................................... 44 5.1.1. Goal ..................................................................................................................................... 44 5.1.2. Functional Unit (FU) ........................................................................................................... 46 5.1.3. System Boundary ................................................................................................................ 47 5.1.4. Method used ........................................................................................................................ 55 5.1.4. Temporal Scope .................................................................................................................. 55 5.1.5. Geographical Scope ............................................................................................................ 55 5.1.6. Technological Scope ........................................................................................................... 55 5.1.7. Data Quality ........................................................................................................................ 58 5.1.8. Key Assumptions ................................................................................................................ 58 5.2. Phase II- Life Cycle Inventory ................................................................................................... 60 5.2.1. Scenario 1 – 1970 ................................................................................................................ 61 5.2.2. Scenario 2 – 1980 ................................................................................................................ 61 5.2.3. Scenario 3 – 1990 ................................................................................................................ 62 5.2.4. Scenario 4 – 2000 ................................................................................................................ 63 5.2.5. Scenario 5 – 2010 ................................................................................................................ 64 5.2.6. Scenario 6 – 2020 ................................................................................................................ 65 5.2.7. Unit Processes Used in Waste Management Scenarios ...................................................... 65 5.3. Phase III- Life Cycle Impact Assessment .................................................................................. 69 5.4. Phase IV- Interpretation ............................................................................................................