Life cycle assessment of an aerobic composting plant in Emilia-Romagna: a comparative study with a theoretical integrated model

The present thesis presents a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) comparing an existing aerobic composting plant in Emilia-Romagna (Italy) with a proposed integrated anaerobic-aerobic system. We simultaneously evaluated the environmental impact of plastic contamination in biowaste feedstock, creating a multidimensional analysis across four distinct scenarios. Results demonstrate that the integrated treatment approach achieves significant environmental benefits, including a 9% reduction in global warming potential and 54% reduction in fossil resource scarcity compared to conventional aerobic composting. Furthermore, the elimination of conventional plastic contamination in biowaste yields 75-82% reductions in global warming potential regardless of treatment technology. The most environmentally advantageous scenario, combining integrated treatment with plastic-free feedstock, reduces global warming potential by 83% compared to conventional processing of contaminated waste. These findings reveal that while technological optimization offers meaningful environmental improvements, feedstock quality exerts greater influence on overall sustainability outcomes. This research provides evidence-based guidance for waste management policy that emphasizes both technological advancement and upstream contamination prevention through improved source separation and public engagement.