| Technologies and practices | Vulnerability to climate change | Adaptation implications & strategies to minimize emissions | Sustainable development dimensions | Comments |
|---|
| Social | Economic | Environmental |
|---|
Recycling, reuse & waste minimization | Indirect low vulnerability or no vulnerability | Minimal implications | Usually positive Negative for waste scavenging without public health or safety controls | Positive Job creation | Positive Negative for waste scavenging from open dumpsites with air and water pollution | Indirect benefits for reducing GHG emissions from waste Reduces use of energy and raw materials. Requires implementation of health and safety provisions for workers |
Controlled landfilling with landfill gas recovery and utilization | Indirect low vulnerability or positive effects: Higher temperatures increase rates of microbial methane oxidation rates in cover materials | Minimal implications May be regulatory mandates or economic incentives Replaces fossil fuels for process heat or electrical generation | Positive Odour reduction (non-CH4 gases) | Positive Job creation Energy recovery potential | Positive Negative for improperly managed sites with air and water pollution | Primary control on landfill CH4 emissions with >1200 commercial projects Important local source of renewable energy: replaces fossil fuels Landfill gas projects comprise 12% of annual registered CERs under CDMa Oxidation of CH4 and NMVOCs in cover soils is a smaller secondary control on emissions |
Controlled landfilling without landfill gas recovery | Indirect low vulnerability or positive effects: Higher temperatures increase rates of microbial methane oxidation rates in cover materials | Minimal implications Gas monitoring and control still required | Positive Odour reduction (non-CH4 gases) | Positive Job creation | Positive Negative for improperly managed sites with air and water pollution | Use of cover soils and oxidation in cover soils reduce rate of CH4 and NMVOC emissions |
Optimizing microbial methane oxidation in landfill cover soils (‘biocovers’) | Indirect low vulnerability or positive effects: Increased rates at higher temperatures | Minimal implications or positive effects | Positive Odour reduction (non-CH4 gases) | Positive Job creation | Positive Negative for improperly designed or managed biocovers with GHG emissions and NMVOC emissions | Important secondary control on landfill CH4 emissions and emissions of NMVOCs Utilizes other secondary materials (compost, composted sludges) Low-cost low-technology strategy for developing countries |
Uncontrolled disposal (open dumping & burning) | Highly vulnerable Detrimental effects: warmer temp. promote pathogen growth and disease vectors | Exacerbates adaptation problems Recommend implementation of more controlled disposal and recycling practices | Negative | Negative | Negative | Consider alternative lower-cost medium technology solutions (e.g., landfill with controlled waste placement, compaction, and daily cover materials) |
Thermal processes including incineration, industrial co-combustion, and more advanced processes for waste-to-energy (e.g., fluidized bed technology with advanced flue gas cleaning) | Low vulnerability | Minimal implications Requires source control and emission controls to prevent emissions of heavy metals, acid gases, dioxins and other air toxics | Positive Odour reduction (non-CH4 gases) | Positive Job creation Energy recovery potential | Positive Negative for improperly designed or managed facilities without air pollution controls | Reduces GHG emissions relative to landfilling Costly, but can provide significant mitigation potential for the waste sector, especially in the short term Replaces fossil fuels |
Aerobic biological treatment (composting) Also a component of mechanical biological treatment (MBT) | Indirect low vulnerability or positive effects: Higher temperatures increase rates of biological processes (Q10) | Minimal implications or positive effects Produces CO2 (biomass) and compost Reduces volume, stabilizes organic C, and destroys pathogens | Positive Odour reduction (non-CH4 gases) | Positive Job creation Use of compost products | Positive Negative for improperly designed or managed facilities with odours, air and water pollution | Reduces GHG emissions Can produce useful secondary materials (compost) provided there is quality control on material inputs and operations Can emit N2O and CH4 under reduced aeration or anaerobic conditions |
Anaerobic biological treatment (anaerobic digestion) Also a component of mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) | Indirect low vulnerability or positive effects: Higher temperatures increase rates of biological processes | Minimal implications Produces CH4, CO2, and biosolids under highly controlled conditions Biosolids require management | Positive Odour reduction (non-CH4 gases) | Positive Job creation Energy recovery potential Use of residual biosolids | Positive Negative for improperly designed or managed facilities with, odours, air and water pollution | Reduces GHG emissions CH4 in biogas can replace fossil fuels for process heat or electrical generation Can emit minor quantities of CH4 during start-ups, shutdowns and malfunctions |
Wastewater control and treatment (aerobic or anaerobic) | Highly vulnerable Detrimental effects in absence of wastewater control and treatment: Warmer temperatures promote pathogen growth and poor public health | Large adaptation implications High potential for reducing uncontrolled GHG emissions Residuals (biosolids) from aerobic treatment may be anaerobically digested | Positive Odour reduction (non-CH4 gases) | Positive Job creation Energy recovery potential from anaerobic processes Use of sludges and other residual biosolids | Positive Negative for improperly designed or managed facilities with odours, air and water pollution and GHG emissions | Wide range of available technologies to collect, treat, recycle and re-use wastewater Wide range of costs CH4 from anaerobic processes replaces fossil fuels for process heat or electrical generation Need to design and operate to minimize N2O and CH4 emissions during transport and treatment |