Incineration as a Methane Abatement Option - Using Incineration to Meet the Kyoto Objectives

A. John Chandler, A.J�Chandler & Associates Ltd., Willowdale, ON Canada Shin-ichi Sakai, Environmental Preservation Center, Kyoto University, Japan Incineration is generally considered a CO2 neutral means of managing MSW. A thorough evaluation of the environmental effects ofMSW incineration should consider the potential for greenhouse gas effects from the methane emissions of managed landfills sites. While emitted at a similar rate to CO2, the global warming potential for methane is said to be in excess of 15 times greater than that of CO2• Thus, reducing the potential for methane emissions from MSW management options through the use of incineration would make a positive contribution to greenhouse gas control. Based upon this premise, a study was undertaken to evaluate the potential costs and benefits of applying this technology in various parts of the world. This paper describes the development of an MSW facility capital and operating cost model for different countries based upon North American contract information and assumptions about the capability of the country's industry. All the data are compared on the basis of 1996 purchasing power parity corrected US dollars. The capital costing model was compared with German and Japanese data and shows general applicability in countries that have the ability to manufacture the major components of the systems. North American operating cost data was combined with country specific waste, landfill and utility information to derived a net cost of methane abatement through the application of MSW incineration. There will be opportunities for increased incineration capacity in many countries, both now in developing countries whose waste currently might not support autogenous combustion and the developed countries. In 1 9 Steven E. Sawell, Compass Environmental Inc., Burlington, ON, Canada Maggie Thurgood, Consultant England Dr. Jurgen Vehlow, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe, Germany developing economies the time to start thinking about these opportunities is now so capabilities will match improved waste characteristics. Developed countries, with a greater potential to release methane from landfills, should be seeking to increase the use of incineration to meet their Kyoto commitments.