Integrated waste management as a climate change stabilization wedge

Anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gas emissions are known to contribute to global increases in greenhouse gas concentrations and are widely believed to contribute to climate change. A reference carbon dioxide concentration of 383 ppm for 2007 is projected to increase to a nominal 500 ppm in less t...

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Veröffentlicht in:Waste management & research : the journal of the International Solid Wastes and Public Cleansing Association, ISWA. - 1991. - 27(2009), 9 vom: 01. Nov., Seite 839-49
1. Verfasser: Bahor, Brian (VerfasserIn)
Weitere Verfasser: Van Brunt, Michael, Stovall, Jeff, Blue, Katherine
Format: Online-Aufsatz
Sprache:English
Veröffentlicht: 2009
Zugriff auf das übergeordnete Werk:Waste management & research : the journal of the International Solid Wastes and Public Cleansing Association, ISWA
Schlagworte:Journal Article Waste Products Carbon Dioxide 142M471B3J
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:Anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gas emissions are known to contribute to global increases in greenhouse gas concentrations and are widely believed to contribute to climate change. A reference carbon dioxide concentration of 383 ppm for 2007 is projected to increase to a nominal 500 ppm in less than 50 years according to business as usual models. This concentration change is equivalent to an increase of 7 billion tonnes of carbon per year (7 Gt C year(-1)). The concept of a stabilization wedge was introduced by Pacala and Socolow (Science, 305, 968-972, 2004) to break the 7 Gt C year(- 1) into more manageable 1 Gt C year(- 1) reductions that would be achievable with current technology. A total of fifteen possible 'wedges' were identified; however, an integrated municipal solid waste (MSW) management system based on the European Union's waste management hierarchy was not evaluated as a wedge. This analysis demonstrates that if the tonnage of MSW is allocated to recycling, waste to energy and landfilling in descending order in lieu of existing 'business-as-usual' practices with each option using modern technology and best practices, the system would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 1 Gt C year( -1). This integrated waste management system reduces CO(2) by displacing fossil electrical generation and avoiding manufacturing energy consumption and methane emissions from landfills
Beschreibung:Date Completed 17.02.2010
Date Revised 21.09.2015
published: Print-Electronic
Citation Status MEDLINE
ISSN:1096-3669
DOI:10.1177/0734242X09350485