Comparative analysis between two case studies based on the same integrated system for MSW management

This paper proposes a few original hypotheses with application of integrated systems for energy recovery and material recycling from different municipal waste flows. Proposals concern real metropolitan areas, taking into account two case studies : one from Romania where selective collection is still in development and one from Italy where selective collection in already well implemented. For each case-study data regarding mass and energy balance are presented and compared. Two kinds of scenarios are taken into account: one refers to the present period; the other refers to the year 2020. For the Romanian cases, the potential solutions have been chosen considering the need of limit investments in the short time: this is the reason why existing cement factories have been included in the first scheme. For the Italian case, the potential solutions had to take into account the high amount of materials that are separated at the source. Some considerations emerged from the balances: selective collection plays an important role in diverting materials from landfilling; anaerobic digestion and thermal plants can coexist as the energy streams to be exploited are suitable for real scale applications of both the processes; the real valorization rate of the materials separated at the source can be significantly lower than the stream collected; to this concern, take back programs oriented to the energy valorization of the less noble part of the collected packaging can positively contribute to the increase of the lower heating value of products like solid recovered fuel.