1.2 General Problem Statement
For a typical facility, the estimation of emissions from all its sources is not an easy
task. Of course, there are many proven methods to estimate direct and indirect emissions
to the most accurate level. Estimation of emissions from waste is one area which deserves
more focus and research. Waste can be of all sorts depending on the facility and its
processes. Waste can be classified as recyclable and non recyclable waste based on
recycling capabilities. Recyclable waste will be collected by the recycling facility and
non recyclable waste will usually be sent to Landfill or for waste combustion. Without a
proper procedure to estimate the real waste and what can be recycled, most of the
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recyclables will end up in landfill and an accurate estimation of emissions is not possible.
Some of the major advantages of recycling solid waste are as follows
It helps in conservation of resources
It helps in minimization of green house gas emissions
It generates revenue and reduces waste hauling expenses
Estimation of emissions helps understand the impact on the environment and in turn
helps the facility to take necessary measures to reduce or avoid these emissions.
Some of the challenges in estimating carbon emissions from waste are
Not easy to estimate as waste data is not readily available in most cases
Lack of interest among the people to focus on waste
Although the estimation of emissions do exhibit some challenges, it does have some
obvious advantages which are discussed in this work. Estimation of emissions from
waste is recommended as it helps the facility economically and environmentally.
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