organic wastes and scrap tyres. The emergence of these technologies
in other countries is fueled by the need for sustainable waste
management systems, the growing negative publicity on incinerators,
and the rising demand for alternative energy and chemical
feedstock (Belgiorno et al., 2003).
Different products can be made from the pyrolysis and gasification
of MSW. This article focuses on the production of product gas
from an assortment of waste types due to its importance as an
intermediate for the production of other industrial products, such
as Fischer-Tropsch liquids, methanol and ammonia. LCA can be
used to provide an overall evaluation or comparison of the total
potential impacts, as well as total costs, of the technologies
considered for waste conversion. This powerful environmental
assessment tool enables us to gauge the trade-offs between the
environmental performances of each waste treatment alternative,
and therefore, identify critical areas for improvement or further
investigations