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LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT AND END OF LIFE 265

11.6 Using Waste Management LCA Information for
Decision Making

Ultimately LCA data and information for waste management will be com-
bined (implicitly or preferably explicitly) with other technological, economic,
and social information to present a more complete picture for sustainability
decision making. The goal of the decision making process is to collect and com-
pile information about the alternative waste management technologies and/
or IWM strategies.
Key aspects of the decision making process in the context of waste manage-
ment will likely include the following:

• Cost
• Ability to site new facilities
• Technical feasibility
o Waste feedstock constraints
o Technology development status (for emerging technologies
such as pyrolysis and gasification)
• Environmental performance
o LCA
o Environmental impact assessment
o Qualitative environmental values (e.g., conservation of resources
through recycling)
• Market limitations for the sale of recovery energy/materials.
• Public acceptance for new facilities or programs.

The outcome of this activity should be an organized and more thorough
understanding of the key decision making criteria for waste management
where the results of the LCA will be just one piece of the overall decision mak-
ing puzzle.

References

Barlaz, Dr. Morton and Susan Dunn. 2009. "A Comparison of Alternative Solid Waste
Management Practices." North Carolina State University. Prepared for the Center for the
Study of Sustainable Use of Resources.
Economist: Science Technology Quarterly. 2007. 'The Truth about Recycling." Retrieved from
http://www.economist.com/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=9249262 (17 July 2007).
McDougall, Forbes R., Peter R. White, Marina Franke, and Peter Hindle. 2009. Integrated
Solid Waste Management: A Life Cycle Inventory. Second Edition. Wiley-Blackwell, ISBN:
978-0-632-05889-1.
Cleary, Julian. 2009. "Life cycle assessments of municipal solid waste management systems:
A comparative analysis of selected peer-reviewed literature." Environment International 35
(2009) 1256-1266.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2012. Solid Waste Management Hierarchy, http://
www.epa.gov / wastes / nonhaz / municipal / hierarchy.htm