Authors:
Ziad Al-Ghazawi; Omran zboon;
Abstract:
Adapting environmentally friendly solid-waste management approaches is essential to reduce the carbon
footprints resulting from solid-waste treatments. In this research, the Irbid composting plant for organic
municipal solid waste was evaluated considering the environmental and economic aspects. Waste streams to
the facility were also evaluated in terms of quantity and quality. The environmental evaluation involved
estimating the carbon footprint of the composting facility using upstream-operation-downstream (UOD)
procedure and comparing it with the emission levels associated with current management practices. The
composting facility led to avoiding an estimated 13.62 Gg CO2 equivalent each year. Finally, an economic
feasibility study was conducted based on estimating the costs (CAPEX & OPEX) and the expected revenues.
The results revealed that the composting facility could return the capital cost in about 6.63 years and make a
net yearly revenue of 88,250 JOD (124,500 USD), which proves that composting, if performed professionally,
offers a low-cost path for solid-waste treatment.
Keywords:
MSW management, Recycling, GHG emissions, Economic evaluation, Jordan