PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The rapid growth of the global population, rising living standards, and the vast technological advances seen in recent years have resulted in a constant increase of the amount and variety of municipal solid waste (MSW). In the EU, 225 million tonnes of MSW were generated in 2020 (505 kg/year of municipal waste per capita), of which 52 million tonnes (almost a quarter) were landfilled.
Landfilling has long been established as a common treatment option. However, the implementation of EU regulations (i.e., Directive 31/1999, Directive 62/1994) has resulted in a decrease of the landfill rate in the EU from 61 % in 1995 to 23 % in 2020, and a corresponding increase in the number of mechanical biological treatment (MBT) plants for MSW management. MBT plants typically combine a sorting facility with a form of biological treatment. 570 MBT plants were operating in the EU in 2017. This number is expected to increase by 120 new facilities by 2025.
MBT plants generate a broad range of emissions. In particular, 3,900,000 tonnes/year of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) are expected to be released by 2025. EU legislation such as the Directive on Ambient Air Quality (2008/50/EC) and the EU Industrial Emissions Directive (2010/75/EU), together with specific sectoral regulations (i.e., waste management), put limits on the allowable emission of VOCs. In addition to NMVOCs, MBT plants also emit carbon dioxide (CO2).
Current VOC treatment technologies in MBT plants (thermal oxidisers and biofilters) are expensive, and have a high energy consumption and a high carbon footprint. It is therefore crucial to reduce VOC and CO2 emissions from MBT to achieve the EU target of reducing CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030 and achieving climate neutrality (net zero emissions) by 2050.
OBJECTIVES
The LIFE ABATE project aims to demonstrate an environmental, economic and socially sustainable solution for the treatment of gas emissions derived from the management of solid waste from MBT plants. The project aims to significantly reduce VOC emissions, minimise odour emissions, reduce energy requirements and the running costs of MBT, whilst valorising the CO2 produced.
The solution comprises a novel VOC treatment process consisting of two primary stages, followed by a third stage dedicated to CO2 use:
In the initial stage, an adsorption and desorption technology based on zeolites (rotoconcentrator, RC) will transform high-volume streams with low VOC concentrations (20,000 Nm3/h) into a highly VOC-concentrated stream (2,000 Nm3/h) alongside a VOC-free air stream (18,000 Nm3/h).
The second stage of the process addresses the concentrated flow; two options will undergo testing: regenerative thermal oxidation (RTO) and a two-phase biotrickling filter (2P-BTF).
Finally, the CO2 stream will be used to improve agricultural productivity in a greenhouse.
The solution will be validated at an industrial scale in the Ecoparc 3 MBT plant (Barcelona) and replicated in Las Dehesas (Madrid), treating 20,000 m3/hour of real gas emission.
In addition, the project will:
Promote policy initiatives to replicate and transfer the project results as a Best Available Technique (BAT) by national administrations support.
Create suitable conditions to continue and extend the project results in both demonstration sites (Ecoparc 3 and Las Dehesas, 265,000 m3/h), in two additional MBT plants (740,000 m3/h), and in two additional plants in the EU, in the first five years after the end of the project.
RESULTS
The project’s expected results are:
An increase in the VOC removal efficiency of conventional biological-based alternatives, from a start value of 30-70% for the hydrophobic VOCs up to 90-95% removal (average 92.6%).
A 90% decrease in natural gas consumption associated to the increase in VOC concentration at the inlet of the RTO (1 g/m3) compared to normal operation (baseline RTO treating 100 mg VOC/m3)(five years beyond the project end date).
A decrease in the thermal energy consumption per m3 of treated streams (from 0.0108 kWh/m3 to 0.0089 kWh/m3 of gas treated in the RTO).
A 90% decrease in thermal energy consumption in the RTO per year, five years after the project end date.
A 90% reduction in CO2 emissions in the RTO per year.
A reduction of current CO2 emissions from waste management systems by transferring them to greenhouse agriculture (106.8 tonnes CO2/month/hectare) to promote crop growth and improve production by 30%, reducing the overall emissions of this greenhouse gas.
A reduction of operating costs from 0.118 cts€/m3 to 0.098 cts€/m3 of treated air in an RTO and 0.018 to 0.0011 cts€/m3 of treated air in a biofilter.
A 90% decrease in the electrical energy consumption in the RTO per year (five years beyond the project end date).
A 60% - 85% decrease in capital expenditure (CAPEX) per m3/h of gas treated.
