Title: An approach for quantifying the benefits of treating biodegradable municipal solid waste: a case-study from the city of Jambi, Indonesia

Authors: João Aleluia

Addresses: Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal

Abstract: The treatment of solid waste and its processing into resources can result in multiple benefits to society. Many of these are, however, underestimated or simply not taken into account in decision-making processes. This article proposes an approach to support policymakers quantifying these benefits. It focuses on the biodegradable fraction of municipal solid waste, which usually accounts for more than 50% of waste streams in developing countries. A case-study was adopted to illustrate the application of the approach, with the city of Jambi, Indonesia, selected to this end. The case-study assessed the benefits of adopting biological treatment methods in alternative to the baseline practice of landfilling waste. Composting was the method with the highest level of benefits associated, estimated at 162 USD per ton of waste processed. The case-study also demonstrates the importance of benefit quantification as a basis to properly design public policy instruments in support of waste treatment approaches.

Keywords: municipal solid waste; MSW; organic solid waste; anaerobic digestion; composting; developing Asia; Indonesia; case-study; cost-benefit analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2024.136958

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2024 Vol.33 No.2, pp.146 - 167

Received: 28 Sep 2020
Accepted: 06 Jul 2021
Published online: 01 Mar 2024 *

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