Evaluation of the circularity of the Hungarian waste management system using LCA methodology

Based on the analysis of the current waste composition, the share of organics in municipal solid waste, and the currently available waste treatment policy and techniques, the LCA methodology is used to evaluate the Hungarian waste management system and its circularity. The waste management system is undergoing a significant transformation as more waste streams will be separately collected in the near future. From 1
^st
January 2024, municipal solid waste is classified into three groups: packaging waste (paper-, polymer-, and metal-based), biodegradable waste (compostable or food waste), and mixed municipal solid waste. From 1st January 2025, textiles must be collected separately and should not be part of the mixed municipal solid waste. The current waste treatment procedures focus on circular and carbon-neutral solutions. The EU is targeting to transform its economy into a circular economy. To encourage this, the EU has set targets for the 27 Member States to increase recycling and reduce landfilling, which are adopted by Hungary. Namely, 70% of packaging waste must be recycled by 2030. Moreover, 65% of municipal solid waste must be prepared for re-use or recycling and only 10% of municipal solid waste can be disposed to landfills by 2035. The remaining municipal solid waste stream is aimed to be utilized as a Waste-to-Energy (WtE) source. To achieve EU energy targets, it is necessary to expand low-carbon energy production methods to reduce the amount of waste landfilled, so expanding WtE capacity is a suitable solution to achieve better environmental performance. In addition to Waste-to-Energy, the potential of waste heat from landfill gas utilization in gas engines will be assessed as an additional carbon-neutral energy source that can be utilized either directly or through, e.g., PCM storage technology. In this study, the environmental impacts of the current Hungarian waste management system and the proposed waste management targets are compared by a holistic approach applying the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. The environmental model is created in “LCA for Experts” (GaBi) software, and the evaluation is carried out with the Environmental Footprint 3.0 impact assessment method considering Climate Change (Global Warming), Acidification, Eutrophication, Particulate Matter, Photochemical Ozone Formation, Ozone Depletion, Resource Use, Land Use, Water Use and Toxicity.