Life Cycle Assessment of Anaerobic Digestion Plant for Treating Municipal Solid Wastes in Dhaka City, Bangladesh
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.38032/scse.2025.3.143Keywords:
Life Cycle Assessment, Municipal Solid Waste, Waste-to-Energy, Anaerobic Digestion, Global Warming PotentialAbstract
Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is grappling with a growing problem: how to manage its ever-increasing municipal solid waste (MSW). Anaerobic digestion (AD) has emerged as a potential solution, but concerns linger about its environmental impact. To address this, this study conducts a life cycle assessment (LCA) of AD technology based on the waste composition in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. The aim of this study is to estimate the plant’s global warming potential (GWP) through emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) like CO2, CH4, and N2O. Additionally, the assessment looks at the plant’s contribution to acidification through hydrogen chloride gas (HCl) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, as well as the potential release of harmful dioxins. The total power generated by this method is also calculated. The results show that 3856.08 GWh/yr electricity can be generated from the generated MSW in Dhaka city. In terms of environmental impacts, AD significantly reduces GWP by 92% and acidification potential (AP) by 99.5% compared to traditional landfilling (LF). Additionally, dioxin emission (1.97 10-5 kg) of the AD plant is very low. By comparing the findings of the LCA of AD with Dhaka’s current MSW management practices, such as LF, the research aims to provide a clear picture of the environmental trade-offs associated with AD. This is achieved by identifying the areas (GWP, AP, and Dioxin Emissions) where AD has most significant environmental impact. Ultimately, the study aspires to equip policymakers and waste management professionals with the data they need to make informed decisions that will steer Dhaka towards a sustainable waste management future.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Fahim Shahriar Makky, Sheikh Rahat Akbor, Durjoy Kumar Paul , Mim Mashrur Ahmed (Author)
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