Microsoft Word - Environmental benefits of recycling 2010 update.doc

Table 4 Overview of the end-of-life alternatives compared within each case for paper

Case Recycling Composting

Incineration

with

electricity

recovery

only

Incineration

with heat or

combined

heat/

electricity

recovery

Landfill

Anaerobic

digestion

Pyrolysis Gasification

1[PB] xxx

2[NS] xxx

2[CC] xxx

2[MC] xxx

3[PS] xxx

3[EN] xxx

4[CC] xxx

4[MA] xxx

4[NS] xxx

4[OP] xxx

4[PB] xxx

4[TE] xxx

4[MP] xxx

5[PA] xxx

5[MC] xxx

Total number

of cases

1508715000

The material examined in each case is not the same. Some studies investigate only one type of paper waste while

others compare different types. An overview of the materials in question is presented in Table 5 below.

Table 5 Overview of examined paper waste materials

Study

number

Case Material

11[PB]Paper and board

2[NS] Newspaper

2[CB] Corrugated board

2[MC] Mixed cardboard

3[PS] Paper tape

3[EN] Envelope in vellum paper

4[CC] Corrugated board

4[MA] Magazines

4[NP] Newspaper

4[OP] Office paper

4[PB] Phone books

4[TE] Textbooks

4[MP] Mixed paper

5[PA] Paper

5[CA] Cardboard

2

3

4

5

Ranking between the various end-of-life options within each scenario

All studies analysed compare recycling and incineration with energy recovery and landfill. Table 6 compares the
end-of-life options compared within each case. The parameters and assumptions differ from one study to
another; therefore the results are not consistent across studies and the table should thus be interpreted with
care.