Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Use of LCA to Assess the Environmental Impacts of the Composting Process

Following the industrial revolution, major economic and populational growth took place, and, therefore, solid waste generation increased exponentially. Nowadays, management still generates impacts because current wide offer of strategies includes many solutions that produce suboptimal results, such as landfill or incineration. From a circular economy perspective, composting is potentially sustainable option to treat organic fraction has advantage recycling compounds can be reintroduced into natural processes. This study aimed provide meta-analysis using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method evaluate by performing systematic literature review diversity approaches assessing environmental impacts. The results impact assessment were highly dependent on choices made over system boundary functional units. most cited Global Warming Potential, Acidification Eutrophication Photochemical Oxidation Ozone Layer Depletion, gaseous emissions from transport decomposition represent main contributors these categories. Using smaller dataset evaluating use CML categories, it was found In-vessel Composting Home considered best options among studied methods. also related non-renewable energy sources, which puts at disadvantage when compared with anaerobic digestion. Such emphasize benefits technologies complementary instead substitutes.