Life cycle costing of energy recovery from solid recovered fuel produced in MBT plants in Italy.

The Environmental Life Cycle Costing (LCC) methodology was applied to assess the costs of the processing in Italy of municipal Residual Waste (RW) in Mechanical-Biological Treatment (MBT) plants aimed at the production of Solid Recovered Fuels (SRFs), delivered to dedicated waste-to-energy (WTE) plants or to co-combustion. Two different functional units were defined to consider two different perspectives: 1 tonne of residual waste in input of the MBT plant, and 1 MWh of exergy produced by the energy valorisation of the streams delivered by the MBT plant. Four strategies were analysed that differ for the type of MBT (single stream or separated streams) and the destiny of the SRF (dedicated WTE plant or cement kiln).

Nitrogen, phosphorus and organics removal in two vertical flow experimental wetlands receiving pretreated municipal wastewater.

Pollutants removal in two vertical flow experimental wetlands receiving pre-treated municipal wastewater was investigated. Laboratory investigations using microcosms were also carried out in order to identify key processes regulating pollutants removal. Results obtained from experimental wetlands seem to confirm the ability of a single stage installation, where nitrification and denitrification processes are jointly optimised using a gravel medium, always wet but not saturated with water.