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Title Implementation of circular economy in the management of municipal solid waste in an Italian medium-sized city: A 30-years lasting history
ID_Doc 16356
Authors Bertanza, G; Mazzotti, S; Gomez, FH; Nenci, M; Vaccari, M; Zetera, SF
Title Implementation of circular economy in the management of municipal solid waste in an Italian medium-sized city: A 30-years lasting history
Year 2021
Published
DOI 10.1016/j.wasman.2021.04.017
Abstract The Circular Economy model is gaining attention as a key factor for boosting sustainable development. Reducing the consumption of raw materials, as well as increasing the amount of recycled waste, are the current challenges the municipal solid waste management system is called for. In this study, the evolution of the municipal waste management strategies in the city of Brescia was analysed, covering a period of 30 years. The results obtained by a) progressively extending the separate collection with street containers, b) building a Waste to Energy plant, and c) moving to a door to door collection system, were assessed via numerical indicators and mass balances. In order to highlight the complexity of the system, the waste flow, from collection to the achievement of the end of waste attribute, was followed. Separate collection with street containers came to a saturation percentage around 40%. The realization of the incineration plant eliminated the direct disposal of waste to landfills. With the introduction of the new collection system, the separately collected waste increased up to over 73%, the per capita amount of collected waste decreased from 685.3 kg/(in y) to 579.6 kg/(in y), and a significant reduction of recyclable materials in the unsorted waste was gained. In the paper, these achievements and their affecting factors are analysed. Moreover, criticalities in the calculation of material recovery indices due to the complexity of the system (72 transformation sites were identified) are discussed. (c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Author Keywords Access-protected containers; Door to door collection; Mass flow; Performance indicators; Recovery
Index Keywords Index Keywords
Document Type Other
Open Access Open Access
Source Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED)
EID WOS:000656156200006
WoS Category Engineering, Environmental; Environmental Sciences
Research Area Engineering; Environmental Sciences & Ecology
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