waste | jim baird

Carbon Accounting in the Waste Sector

Prof Jim Baird

Caledonian Environment Centre

Glasgow Caledonian University

1

Scotland’s WasteHouseholds

3.2 Million Tonnes

Offices/Schools/Shops/Industry8.4 Million Tonnes

Construction and Demolition 10.4 Million Tonnes

2

Landfill Directive (1999/31/EC)

• Tightened up standards for operation• Required pre-treatment of waste prior to landfill

And Perhaps most significantly:

• Set targets for the diversion of Biodegradable Municipal Waste– Municipal Waste– Biodegradable

3

Definitions

• Municipal Waste– EU - waste from households, as well as other waste, which, because of

its nature or composition, is similar to waste from household– UK – Waste Collected by or on behalf of the Local Authority

• Biodegradable– Any waste that is capable of undergoing anaerobic or aerobic

decomposition, such as; food and garden waste; and paper and cardboard

• Leads to Biodegradable Municipal Waste (BMW)

4

Effect of Recycling on Biodegradable tonnage

3.2Mt/yr

2.5Mt/yr

2.0

1.2

1.0

2002/3 2005/6 202020132010

1.5

Landfill Directive Targets

1.32

0.60.88

5

Implications

By 2010 – need 300kt/yr treatment capacity5 of these

6

Or

4 of these

Implications

7

Or a lot more of this:

Implications

8

Or Even better -

9

Evolving Drivers – Recycling Targets

Scotland currently recycles/composts around 30% of MSW

New recycling/composting targets:40% by 201050% by 201360% by 202070% by 2025

New National Waste Plan with single outcome agreements for each local authorities

Max. 25% mixed waste treated using efficient energy technologies (e.g. EfW)

10

First Wave:

• Recycling and Composting

11

Energy Sector

CO

2 E

Manufacturing Sector Business Consumers

Householders (Councils)

Res

ourc

es

Res

ourc

es

CO

2 E Landfill

CO

2 E

WasteSector

Reprocessor

MaterialsEfW

12

Current Situation -41%Recycling

BASELINE 2010/11 (41% RECYCLING)

SCHEME COST (£K) TONNAGE (Tonnes)

Cost Per tonne (£/t)

% MSW RECYCLED COMPOSTED

CO2 (Equivalent)

Emissions t/year

Kerbside blue bin 435 7,932 54 10% -13,532Kerbside black box 666 3,732 178 5% -2,975Kerbside green waste 601 7,298 82 9% 136Special uplifts 0 0 0% 0Recycling Centres 1,219 12,169 100 16% -3,591Commercial waste -684 1,142 1% -1,878Landfilled Residual Waste 4,106 --

£27 Collection-- 24,526

£73 Disposal+TaxAdministration

1,772 -- -- --

TOTALS 8,116 32,338 41% 2,686

An Example CouncilPopulation: 60,000 households

13

Increased Recycling – 52% Recycling

BASELINE Plus 2010/11 (52% RECYCLING)

SCHEME COST (£K) TONNAGE (Tonnes)

Cost Per tonne (£/t)

% MSW RECYCLED COMPOSTED

CO2 (Equivalent)

Emissions t/year

Kerbside blue bin 801 9,816 82 (54) 13% -16,698Kerbside black box 666 3,732 178(178) 5% -2,975Kerbside green waste 1,752 12,908 135(82) 16% 284Special uplifts 170 1,156 147(0) 2% -2,975Recycling Centres 1,219 12,169 100(100) 16% -3,539Commercial waste -684 1,142 1% -1,878Landfilled Residual Waste 3,470 --

£35 (£27) Collection -- 18,760

£73 Disposal + TaxAdministration

1,772 -- -- --

TOTALS 9,166 40,924 52% -6,522

14

An Example CouncilPopulation: 60,000 households

Carbon Impacts – 4 Components

• Collection – vehicles locally collecting waste

• Local Reprocessing – includes transport to markets

• Displacing Virgin Material

• Landfilling residual

15

CO2

Collection

Transfer Station

MRF(to market)

CH4 in Landfill

Displaced Virgin Material

Displacement of Virgin Materials

Tonne CO2(E)/tonne USEPA WARM

USEPA report AEAT ERM WRAP Ave

Aluminium Cans -8.14 -14.95 -9.07 -11.63 -15.70 -11.90

Glass -0.17 -0.32 -0.25 -0.76 -0.64 -0.43

HDPE -0.84 -1.54 -0.49 -2.32 -1.17 -1.27

PET -0.92 -1.70 -1.76 -1.46

Mixed Paper - Residential -2.12 -3.88 -0.60 -0.50 -1.75 -1.77

Corrugated Box -1.87 -3.44 -0.70 -2.00

Steel Cans -1.08 -1.98 -1.49 -0.43 -1.13 -1.22

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CO2

Collection

Transfer Station/MRF(to market)

CH4 in Landfill

Displaced Virgin

Material

Carbon Emissions – Recycling Programmes

Carbon Eq Tonnes/yr

Baseline Scenario 41% recycling Baseline Plus Scenario 52% Recycling

Collection MRF Reprocessing Landfill Total Collection MRFReproces

sing Landfill Total Difference

Dry Recyclate Collection 55 452 -14,039 0 -13,532 118 559 -17,375 0 -16,698 -3,166

Garden Waste 55 82 0 0 136 118 166 0 0 284 148

Black Box (Cans/Glass) 118 69 -3,162 0 -2,975 118 69 -3,162 0 -2,975 0

Bulky Uplift Service 0 0 0 0 0 50 11 -486 0 -424 -424

Recycling Centre - Source Segregation 0 66 -3,605 0 -3,539 0 66 -3,605 0 -3,539 0

Recycling Centre - Residual Recovery 99 27 -178 0 -52 99 27 -178 0 -52 0

Commercial Waste Collection 71 51 -1,999 0 -1,878 71 51 -1,999 0 -1,878 0

Residual Waste Collection/Disposal 109 0 0 24,417 24,526 109 0 0 18,650 18,760 -5,767

Total Impact (C Eq Tonnes)506 747 -22,983 24,417 2,686 683 950 -26,805 18,650 -6,522 -9,209

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Carbon Eq Tonnes/yr





Garden Waste 55 82 0 0 136 118 166 0 0 284 148








CO2

Collection


CH4 in Landfill

Displaced Virgin

Material

18


Carbon Eq Tonnes/yr





Garden Waste 55 82 0 0 136 118 166 0 0 284 148








CO2

Collection


CH4 in Landfill

Displaced Virgin

Material

19


Carbon Eq Tonnes/yr





Garden Waste 55 82 0 0 136 118 166 0 0 284 148








CO2

Collection


CH4 in Landfill

Displaced Virgin

Material

20


Carbon Eq Tonnes/yr





Garden Waste 55 82 0 0 136 118 166 0 0 284 148








CO2

Collection


CH4 in Landfill

Displaced Virgin

Material

21

Scotland’s Emissions Mt CO2E

1990 2006

Energy 54.4 52.4

Industrial Processes

1.7 1.5

Agriculture 8.7 7

Land -2.5 -4.5

Waste 5.8 2.5

Total 68.0 59.0

22

Scotland’s Carbon Emissions (CO2E)

59Mt

• Energy Sector• Industrial Processes• Agriculture• Land Use/Forestry• Waste

2.36Mt (4%)

• Fugitive landfill Emissions• Gas Recovery

• Collection• Reprocessing• Recycled materials

Scotland Scotland’s Waste Sector

23

Impact of Scotland’s Municipal Waste

• 3.2Mt/yr to manage – two scenarios– Scenario 1 No recycling – all waste to landfill– Scenario 2 52% recycling – remainder to landfill

• Expanding of kerbside collection services• Recycling Centres• Focus of organic materials being recovered

Landfill

Collection

Reprocessin

g

Displace Raw

Materials

24

Impact of Scotland’s Municipal Waste

Landfill

Collection

Reprocessin

g

Displace Raw

Materials

25

Kt CO2E No Recycling 52% Recycling

Collection 11 18

Sorting and delivery to market

- -69

Displacement of Virgin Material

- -1935

Landfill 4,548 1,727

Total 4,559 -120

Energy Sector

CO

2 E

Manufacturing Sector Business Consumers

Householders (Councils)

Res

ourc

es

Res

ourc

es

CO

2 E Landfill

CO

2 E

WasteSector

Reprocessor

MaterialsEfW

26

Waste Management Contributing to Scotland’s Carbon Reduction Programme

• Landfill Diversion – helping to reduce the 2.36Mt/yr– BMW reductions help – Landfill gas as energy recovery remains critical– Doesn’t address commercial organic wastes though

• Recycling – helping to reduce the 59Mt/yr– Small contribution to emissions from collection– Through raw material substitution – major contribution– Yet what fiscal carbon mechanism works to support the waste sector?

• none

27

But what about Waste Prevention

• Avoiding the production of waste is best

• Taking a basket of materials (Paper/card/plastic/textiles/glass/metals)– Avoided CO2 per tonne of material (USEPA data)– Apply 10% reduction of these materials across MSW and C&I waste

streams in Scotland

• Predicts 1Mt/yr in CO2TE emissions reduction!

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Waste Supporting Carbon Reduction

Activity Possible(ktCO2E)

contribution

Recycling

Collection 6

Sorting Reprocessing 69

Landfill (-)2,821

Displacement of Raw Material (-)1,935

Prevention (10% of basket materials) (-)1,000

Total (-)5,681

Well targeted waste policies have a compounding effect and could contribute 6% towards Scotland’s 80% reduction targets

29

To Conclude:

• Waste Management can play an important role in reducing Scotland’s GHG Emissions

• The IPCC Reporting Mechanisms limit the extent to which the waste sector is credited for its contribution.

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waste | jim baird

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