Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences: Research Areas

Article Title: Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) of Modelled Solid Wastes Landfiling and Incineration in Oriire Local Government Area, Nigeria
by S.O Ojoawo, W.O Adeleke and S.D Oladeji

Abstract:
Impact assessment is a fast becoming topical issue in solid waste management systems of developing countries. This study focuses on the Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) of modelled two solid wastes disposal methods; landfilling and incineration in Oriire Local Government Area (LGA), Nigeria. The significance of this study is to mitigate pollution arising from wastes use and their disposal. For the baseline data on the quantities of MSW generated and disposed in the community, a field survey was conducted. Five (5) representative households were selected and the mean wastes composition determined over a month. The process followed was that provided for in the GaBi5 (Holistic Balancing) software for assessing life cycle of waste. Two (2) scenarios of landfilling and incineration were formed, and two (2) processing methods of LCIA (the Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other Environmental Impacts -TRACI of the United States Environmental Protection Agency; and the methodology of the Centre for Environmental Studies -CML of the University of Leiden) were employed. The measured impact indices include Global Warming Potential (GWP), Acidification Potential (AP), Eutrophication Potential (EP) and the Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP). Findings showed that about 80% components of the wastes are biodegradable while the rest were practically combustibles. The per capita waste generation of the inhabitant was found to be 0.46 kg/day. The LCIA methods both revealed that GWP, AP, EP and ODP effects of biodegradable wastes from landfilling exceed those from the incineration processes. Ferro-metals had no serious positive contribution to the GWP and the least effect on GWP from landfilling was noticed from glass/inert wastes. Compared with landfilling, incineration of wastes is found to be the more environmentally safe disposal method for the study area. It is therefore recommended for use notwithstanding its high construction, operational and maintenance costs.

Keywords: Life Cycle Impact Assessment, Global Warming Potential, Landfilling, Incineration, Solid Wastes

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