Environmental and Climate Impacts Associated with Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) Production: A Case Study in Thailand

¹ Environmental Research Institute Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
² Hub of Waste Management for Sustainable Development, Center of Excellence on Hazardous Substance Management, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand 10330

^* Corresponding author: suthirat.k@gmail.com

Abstract

Improper waste management poses considerable risks to both the environment and human health. Despite Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) is one of promising alternative technologies of waste management, however, it is necessary to gain insight into all environmental impacts of RDF as alternative fuel. This study, therefore, aimed to investigate potential environmental footprints and climate change related impacts from a case study of RDF power plant in Thailand. By employing the life cycle assessment (LCA) concept, gate-to-gate approach was selected as a study boundary. Functional unit was defined as “1MWh of electricity generation”. IMPACT2002+, Greenhouse Gas Protocol and IPCC2013 methods were chosen to determine life cycle potential environmental impacts and carbon- based emission. The key findings revealed that resources impact showed the highest environmental footprint, followed by climate change, human health, and ecosystem quality categories, respectively. Electricity consumption was considered the most important environmental burden associated with the RDF production (1.66 mPt). By considering the climate change impacts, the results shown that electricity-consumed in the RDF generation emitted the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions (6.81 kgCO2e), compared to diesel and natural gas utilizations. Overall, proper management efforts to minimize all negative environmental and climate impacts are necessary in the RDF electricity operation.