Ecological modelling of waste management based on sustainability indicators

A correct waste management is one of the main aspects of an environmental policy. Sustainability indicators represent a tool that makes it possible for the policy maker to evaluate alternative scenarios on a scientific basis, both on a local and a national level. In this paper we propose the use of the indicators based on the emergy concept for the assessment of waste management in the local government of Modena. From this study we can conclude that waste represents an enormous amount of emergy, that is, of past work of the biosphere and thus it has to be used as a resource. In emergy terms, investment in the collection of waste is negligible. The most sustainable collection in Modena is that of bulky objects, glass, paper and materials for compost. Modena's incinerator shows good efficiency in yielding electricity and a good control of emissions. In the future it will be important to reduce the total amount of waste to be burned, in order to maintain low emissions of CO2.