(473a) A Techno-Economic and Life Cycle Analysis of Operating a Standalone Material Recover Facility in the United States.

The circular economy has become a very popular and relevant field of study since it has been identified as a sustainable solution for depleting resources and environmental degradation [1]. The goal of a circular economy is to reduce resource depletion and encourage sustainable development through recycling and upcycling of materials and energy at the consumer, producer, urban, regional, and national levels [2]. To achieve a circular economy, circular practices that include but are not limited to the recirculation of resources and energy, minimization of resources demand, and the recovery of value from waste must be adopted efficiently [2]. Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) play a pivotal role [3]. The separation of municipal solid waste (MSW) into various streams that have economic value is achieved in the MRFs. This study aims to evaluate the economic feasibility of and greenhouse gases emissions associated with operating a standalone MRF capable of sorting and recovering various recyclables from municipal solid waste.

This study employs a discounted cash flow rate of return (DCFROR) analysis to estimate the net present value (NPV) of recovering recyclables at an MRF. The NPV is a common metric used in evaluating the profitability of investment by finding the current value of future revenues and expenses. This study employs the ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 life cycle assessment framework to evaluate the environmental impacts of processing one metric ton (MT) of MSW in an MRF. The study uses sensitivity and uncertainty analysis to assess the effects of variability in crucial MRF process parameters, MSW composition, and price variability on the NPV and GHG emissions of the MRF. In particular, the study investigates the impacts of various plastic waste components on the MRF profitability and environmental footprint.

Preliminary analysis shows that the cost of building a 120,000 MT/year MRF is about 23 MM USD. The revenue generated from the MRF depends mainly on the composition of the MSW and the prevailing market prices of each recyclable. The DCFROR shows that the NPV across 20 years can range from 3.57 MM USD to 60 MM USD at a 10% internal rate of return. The LCA analysis shows that the emissions can vary from 5.98 to 8.53 kg CO₂ eq emissions depending on the composition of the input MSW. Sensitivity analysis shows that the biggest drivers of the NPV are revenue, operating hours, total fixed capital cost, and MSW tipping fees, while MSW composition, baling wire, and electricity impact the emissions the most. The uncertainty analysis showed a 95% probability of achieving a net positive NPV. Future work will estimate the GHG emissions allocated to each recyclable using various LCA allocation methods.

References:

[1] S. Khan and A. Haleem, “Investigation of circular economy practices in the context of emerging economies: a CoCoSo approach,” Int. J. Sustain. Eng., vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 357–367, 2021, doi: 10.1080/19397038.2020.1871442.

[2] V. Prieto-Sandoval, C. Jaca, and M. Ormazabal, “Towards a consensus on the circular economy,” J. Clean. Prod., vol. 179, pp. 605–615, 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.12.224.

[3] C. Cimpan, A. Maul, M. Jansen, T. Pretz, and H. Wenzel, “Central sorting and recovery of MSW recyclable materials: A review of technological state-of-the-art, cases, practice and implications for materials recycling,” J. Environ. Manage., vol. 156, pp. 181–199, Jun. 2015, doi: 10.1016/J.JENVMAN.2015.03.025.