Treatment of problematic waste: a case study using wood

Abstract

Waste is a complex societal problem: municipal solid waste should be considered a resource, but the methods for capturing, treating and utilising this resource are varied and often dependent on geopolitical factors. Previous research has, on the one hand, explored the need for a more comprehensive waste composition specification to manage municipal waste better, and on the other, focused on a problematic waste stream and the options available for dealing with it. This work considers the use of multi-criteria decision making to assess the relative merits of different treatment options. A complex and problematic waste stream, wood, has been selected as a case study. For the purpose of the study, the work considers the options available to Surrey County Council in the UK. Currently, for the conditions selected, energy from waste was considered to be the best option available for the treatment of wood with no discernible value for upcycling or reuse, but not contaminated with hazardous chemicals. When considering a different location with different circumstances, a different solution might be found.