Life Cycle Comparison of Waste-to-Energy Plant and Landfill in Europe by the Method of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

The study shows clear advantages of the thermal treatment of waste by energy generation, heat extraction and steam use as well as lower uncertainties of inflation during the aftercare period. The comparison of the two methods shows further advantages for the thermal treatment of waste by the extension of the scenario period above 20 operating years.

by Dipl.-Ing.(TU) Werner P. Bauer Dipl.-Umwelting. (FH) Thomas Kroner Dipl. Wirtschafts-Ing. (FH) Bernhard Lipowsky

The objective of the EU to minimise negative effects to the environment caused by waste disposal leads to stringent operational and technical requirements  of waste disposal sites. The operational requirements include a minimum lasting aftercare period of 30 years whose significant expenditures have to be reserved during the operating period.

In addition to these requirements the member states shall set up a strategy which ensures that biodegradable municipal waste going to landfills will be reduced. As stated in Article 5 of the above-named directive biodegradable municipal waste going to landfills must be reduced to: 75% till 16th July 2006, 50% till 16th July 2009 and 35% till 16th July 2016 of the total amount (by weight) of the biodegradable municipal waste produced in 1995 or latest year before 1995 for which standardised EUROSTAT data is available.To achieve these targets waste management concepts have to be developed in many European countries to optimise collection, recycling and treatment of municipal waste. Therefore there is a demand of cost comparison studies, showing the long term costs of landfill compared to other waste treatment methods. CEWEP - Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants e.V. ordered the following study - adapted to actual European conditions.

This report is based on the study "Total costs of ownership: Comparison Incineration Plant-Landfill ” ordered by the Bavarian State Ministry of Environment within the scope of the Technical Co-Operation Project Bavaria-Sao Paulo in February 2006.
In the study the landfill scenario is calculated rather conservative with an aftercare period lasting 40 years for literature shows aftercare periods up to 140 years . The method of Mechanical-Biological-Treatment plant is not evaluated.
The aim of the project is to develop a variable costs calculation for the total life cycle of the two alternatives after the "Total Costs of Ownership" method. These alternatives are:
-waste-to-energy plant and
-landfill.

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published: CEWEP - Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants e.V., 12|2010
Keywords: Landfilling, EU