Abstract
Preventing food wastage is a key element of sustainable resource management. But as food waste is still generated at high volumes, priority is placed on its proper management as a resource, maximising sustainability benefits. This study, by integrating a multi-criteria decision analysis with a sustainability assessment approach, develops a screening and decision support framework for comparing the sustainability performance of food waste management options. A structured process for selecting criteria based on the consideration of environmental, economic and social aspects related to region-specific food waste system planning, policy and management has been developed. Two food waste management options, namely the use of food waste disposal units, which grind food waste at the household’s kitchen sink and discharge it to the sewer, and the anaerobic co-digestion of separately collected food waste with sewage sludge, were selected for comparison due to their potential to create synergies between local authorities, waste and water companies, with local circumstances determining which of the two options to adopt. A simplified process used for assessing and comparing the two food waste management options in the Anglian region in the UK, indicated that there are benefits in using the framework as a screening tool for identifying which option may be the most sustainable. To support decision-making, a detailed analysis that incorporates stakeholders’ perspectives is required. An additional use of the framework can be in providing recommendations for optimising food waste management options in a specific region, maximising their sustainability performance.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Achillas C, Moussiopoulos N, Karagiannidis A, Banias G, Perkoulidis G (2013) The use of multi-criteria decision analysis to tackle waste management problems: a literature review. Waste Manag Res 31:115–129. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X12470203
Andreottola G, Ragazzi M, Foladori P, Villa R, Langone M, Rada EC (2012) The unit intregrated approch for OFMSW treatment University “Politehnica” of Bucharest Scientific Bulletin, Series C. Electr Eng 74:19–26
Angelis A, Kanavos P (2017) Multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) for evaluating new medicines in health technology assessment and beyond: the advance value framework. Soc Sci Med 188:137–156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.06.024
Angelo ACM, Saraiva AB, Clímaco JCN, Infante CE, Valle R (2017) Life cycle assessment and multi-criteria decision analysis: selection of a strategy for domestic food waste management in Rio de Janeiro. J Clean Prod 143:744–756. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.12.049
Anglian Water Services Ltd. (2017) Fast facts. http://www.anglianwater.co.uk/about-us/fast-facts-file.aspx. 2017
Ashley R et al (2008) Making asset investment decisions for wastewater systems that include sustainability. J Environ Eng 134:200–209. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(2008)134:3(200
Balasubramaniam A, Voulvoulis N (2005) The appropriateness of multicriteria analysis in environmental decision-making problems. Environ Technol 26:951–962. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593332608618484
Balkema AJ, Preisig HA, Otterpohl R, Lambert FJD (2002) Indicators for the sustainability assessment of wastewater treatment systems. Urban Water 4:153–161. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1462-0758(02)00014-6
Bernstad A, la Cour Jansen J (2011) A life cycle approach to the management of household food waste—a Swedish full-scale case study. Waste Manag 31:1879–1896. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2011.02.026
Boggia A, Cortina C (2010) Measuring sustainable development using a multi-criteria model: a case study. J Environ Manag 91:2301–2306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2010.06.009
Bottero M, Comino E, Riggio V (2011) Application of the analytic hierarchy process and the analytic network process for the assessment of different wastewater treatment systems. Environ Model Softw 26:1211–1224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2011.04.002
Cabot J, Easterbrook S, Horkoff J, Lessard L, Liaskos S, Mazon JN (2009) Integrating sustainability in decision-making processes: a modelling strategy. In: 31st international conference on software engineering companion, pp 207–210
Capson-Tojo G, Rouez M, Crest M, Steyer J-P, Delgenès J-P, Escudié R (2016) Food waste valorization via anaerobic processes: a review. Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol 15:499–547. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11157-016-9405-y
CECED (2003) Food waste disposers—an integral part of the EU’s future Waste Manag Strategy CECED–European Committee of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances, Brussels, Belgium
Cerda A, Artola A, Font X, Barrena R, Gea T, Sánchez A (2018) Composting of food wastes: status and challenges. Bioresour Technol 248:57–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2017.06.133
Chon H-S, Ohandja D-G, Voulvoulis N (2012) A risk-based approach to prioritise catchments for diffuse metal pollution management. Sci Total Environ 437:42–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.07.045
Cinelli M, Coles SR, Kirwan K (2014) Analysis of the potentials of multi criteria decision analysis methods to conduct sustainability assessment. Ecol Indic 46:138–148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2014.06.011
DECC, Defra (2011) Anaerobic Digestion Strategy and Action Plan. The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), London, UK,
Defra (2007a) Health impact assessment of alternate week waste collections of biodegradable waste
Defra (2007b) Health impact assessment of alternate week waste collections of biodegradable waste. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. http://www.enviros.com/PDF/Defra%20HIA%20Alternate%20Week%20Collections.pdf
den Boer J, den Boer E, Jager J (2007) LCA-IWM: a decision support tool for sustainability assessment of waste management systems. Waste Manag 27:1032–1045. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2007.02.022
Di Maria F, Micale C (2015) Life cycle analysis of incineration compared to anaerobic digestion followed by composting for managing organic waste: the influence of system components for an Italian district. Int J Life Cycle Assess 20:377–388. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-014-0833-z
Diaz-Balteiro L, González-Pachón J, Romero C (2017) Measuring systems sustainability with multi-criteria methods: a critical review. Eur J Oper Res 258:607–616. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2016.08.075
Diggelman C, Ham RK (2003) Household food waste to wastewater or to solid waste? That is the question. Waste Manag Res 21:501–514. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242x0302100603
European Parliament and Council (2008) Directive 2008/98/EC of 19 November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives (Waste Framework Directive). Official Journal of the European Union. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2008:312:0003:0030:en:PDF. L312/3 22.11
European Union (1999) Council directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April 1999 on the landfill of waste vol L 182/1. Official Journal of the European Communitie
Evans TD (2007) Environmental impact study of food waste disposers for the county surveyors’ society and Herefordshire council and Worcestershire county council. Worcestershire County Council. http://www.disperator.se/sites/default/files/public/dokument/rapporter-studier/environmental-impact-study-v-8-part-1-eis-2007.pdf
Facchini E, Iacovidou E, Gronow J, Voulvoulis N (2017) Food flows in the UK: the potential of surplus food redistribution to reduce waste. J Air Waste Manage Assoc:null-null:1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/10962247.2017.1405854
Ferrarini A, Bodini A, Becchi M (2001) Environmental quality and sustainability in the province of Reggio Emilia (Italy): using multi-criteria analysis to assess and compare municipal performance. J Environ Manag 63:117–131. https://doi.org/10.1006/jema.2001.0465
Garfì M, Tondelli S, Bonoli A (2009) Multi-criteria decision analysis for waste management in Saharawi refugee camps. Waste Manag 29:2729–2739. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2009.05.019
Gasparatos A (2010) Embedded value systems in sustainability assessment tools and their implications. J Environ Manag 91:1613–1622. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2010.03.014
Gebrezgabher SA, Meuwissen MPM, Prins BAM, Lansink AGJMO (2010) Economic analysis of anaerobic digestion—a case of green power biogas plant in the Netherlands. NJAS - Wageningen J Life Sci 57:109–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.njas.2009.07.006
Gudmundsson H, Hall RP, Marsden G, Zietsman J (2016) Sustainable transportation: indicators, frameworks, and performance management. Springer-Verlag., Berlin
Hidaka T, Wang F, Tsumori J (2015) Comparative evaluation of anaerobic digestion for sewage sludge and various organic wastes with simple modeling. Waste Manag 43:144–151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2015.04.026
Hokkanen J, Salminen P (1997) Choosing a solid waste management system using multicriteria decision analysis. Eur J Oper Res 98:19–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-2217(95)00325-8
Hung M-L, Ma H-w, Yang W-F (2007) A novel sustainable decision making model for municipal solid waste management. Waste Manag 27:209–219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2006.01.008
Iacovidou E, Busch J, Hahladakis J, Baxter H, Ng K, Herbert B (2017a) A parameter selection framework for sustainability assessment. Sustainability 9:1497
Iacovidou E, Ohandja D-G, Gronow J, Voulvoulis N (2012a) The household use of food waste disposal units as a waste management option: a review. Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol 42:1485–1508. https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2011.556897
Iacovidou E, Ohandja D-G, Voulvoulis N (2012b) Food waste co-digestion with sewage sludge – Realising its potential in the UK. J Environ Manag 112:267–274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2012.07.029
Iacovidou E, Ohandja D-G, Voulvoulis N (2012c) Food waste disposal units in UK households: the need for policy intervention. Sci Total Environ 423:1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.01.048
Iacovidou E, Velis CA, Purnell P, Zwirner O, Brown A, Hahladakis J, Millward-Hopkins J, Williams PT (2017b) Metrics for optimising the multi-dimensional value of resources recovered from waste in a circular economy: a critical review. J Clean Prod 166:910–938. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.07.100
Iacovidou E, Vlachopoulou M, Mallapaty S, Ohandja DG, Gronow J, Voulvoulis N (2013) Anaerobic digestion in municipal solid waste management: part of an integrated, holistic and sustainable solution. Waste Manag 33:1035–1036. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2013.03.010
Inaba R, Nansai K, Fujii M, Hashimoto S (2010) Hybrid life-cycle assessment (LCA) of CO2 emission with management alternatives for household food wastes in Japan. Waste Manag Res 28:496–507. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242x09348528
InSinkErator (2011) Systems for the management and disposal of food waste. InSinkErator, A division of Emerson Electric co. https://www.insinkerator.com/Media/Default/localized-media/FiftyFifty/418f964c-b08b-4303-baa8-226058c58393/ISE-Life-Cycle-Summary.pdf
Janssen R (2001) On the use of multi-criteria analysis in environmental impact assessment in the Netherlands. J Multi-Criteria Decis Anal 10:101–109
Janssen R, van Herwijnen M (1994) Definite a system to support decisions on a finite set of alternatives. User Manual
Karagiannidis A, Moussiopoulos N (1997) Application of ELECTRE III for the integrated management of municipal solid wastes in the greater Athens area. Eur J Oper Res 97:439–449. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0377-2217(96)00252-4
Keeney RL, Raiffa H (1993) Decisions with multiple objectives: preferences and value trade-offs. Cambridge university press
Khoo HH, Lim TZ, Tan RBH (2010) Food waste conversion options in Singapore: environmental impacts based on an LCA perspective. Sci Total Environ 408:1367–1373. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.10.072
Kiddee P, Naidu R, Wong MH (2013) Electronic waste management approaches: an overview. Waste Manag 33:1237–1250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2013.01.006
Kiker GA, Bridges TS, Varghese A, Seager TP, Linkov I (2005) Application of multicriteria decision analysis in environmental decision making. Integr Environ Assess Manag 1:95–108. https://doi.org/10.1897/IEAM_2004a-015.1
Kim M-H, Kim J-W (2010) Comparison through a LCA evaluation analysis of food waste disposal options from the perspective of global warming and resource recovery. Sci Total Environ 408:3998–4006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2010.04.049
Kim M-H, Song Y-E, Song H-B, Kim J-W, Hwang S-J (2011) Evaluation of food waste disposal options by LCC analysis from the perspective of global warming: Jungnang case, South Korea. Waste Manag 31:2112–2120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2011.04.019
Lee S-H, Choi K-I, Osako M, Dong J-I (2007) Evaluation of environmental burdens caused by changes of food waste management systems in Seoul, Korea. Sci Total Environ 387:42–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.06.037
Levis JW, Barlaz MA, Themelis NJ, Ulloa P (2010) Assessment of the state of food waste treatment in the United States and Canada. Waste Manag 30:1486–1494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2010.01.031
Li Z, Lu H, Ren L, He L (2013) Experimental and modeling approaches for food waste composting: a review. Chemosphere 93:1247–1257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.06.064
Lukehurst CT, Frost P, Al Seadi T (2010) Utilisation of digestate from biogas plants as biofertiliser IEA bioenergy:1–36
Lundie S, Peters GM (2005) Life cycle assessment of food waste management options. J Clean Prod 13:275–286. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2004.02.020
Mendoza GA, Martins H (2006) Multi-criteria decision analysis in natural resource management: a critical review of methods and new modelling paradigms. For Ecol Manag 230:1–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2006.03.023
Milutinović B, Stefanović G, Dassisti M, Marković D, Vučković G (2014) Multi-criteria analysis as a tool for sustainability assessment of a waste management model. Energy 74:190–201. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2014.05.056
Møller J, Boldrin A, Christensen TH (2009) Anaerobic digestion and digestate use: accounting of greenhouse gases and global warming contribution. Waste Manag Res 27:813–824
Padeyanda Y, Jang Y-C, Ko Y, Yi S (2016) Evaluation of environmental impacts of food waste management by material flow analysis (MFA) and life cycle assessment (LCA). J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 18:493–508. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-016-0510-3
Paritosh K, Kushwaha SK, Yadav M, Pareek N, Chawade A, Vivekanand V (2017) Food waste to energy: an overview of sustainable approaches for food waste management and nutrient recycling. Biomed Res Int 2017:2370927. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/2370927
Ragazzi M, Maniscalco M, Torretta V, Ferronato N, Rada EC (2017) Anaerobic digestion as sustainable source of energy: a dynamic approach for improving the recovery of organic waste. Energy Procedia 119:602–614. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2017.07.086
Righi S, Oliviero L, Pedrini M, Buscaroli A, Della Casa C (2013) Life cycle assessment of management systems for sewage sludge and food waste: centralized and decentralized approaches. J Clean Prod 44:8–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.12.004
Rousis K, Moustakas K, Malamis S, Papadopoulos A, Loizidou M (2008) Multi-criteria analysis for the determination of the best WEEE management scenario in Cyprus. Waste Manag 28:1941–1954. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2007.12.001
Rowley HV, Peters GM, Lundie S, Moore SJ (2012) Aggregating sustainability indicators: beyond the weighted sum. J Environ Manag 111:24–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2012.05.004
Saer A, Lansing S, Davitt NH, Graves RE (2013) Life cycle assessment of a food waste composting system: environmental impact hotspots. J Clean Prod 52:234–244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.03.022
Sala S, Ciuffo B, Nijkamp P (2015) A systemic framework for sustainability assessment. Ecol Econ 119:314–325. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2015.09.015
San Cristobal JR (2012) Multi-criteria analysis. In: multi-criteria analysis in the renewable energy industry. In: Springer
Sonesson U, Björklund A, Carlsson M, Dalemo M (2000) Environmental and economic analysis of management systems for biodegradable waste. Resour Conserv Recycl 28:29–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-3449(99)00029-4
van den Hove S (2006) Between consensus and compromise: acknowledging the negotiation dimension in participatory approaches Land Use Policy 23:10–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2004.09.001
van Herwijnen M (2005) Weighted summation (WSum). Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM),. http://www.ivm.vu.nl/en/Images/MCA2_tcm234-161528.pdf
Wang J-J, Jing Y-Y, Zhang C-F, Zhao J-H (2009) Review on multi-criteria decision analysis aid in sustainable energy decision-making. Renew Sust Energ Rev 13:2263–2278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2009.06.021
Wang Y, Wang C, Wang Y, Xia Y, Chen G, Zhang T (2017) Investigation on the anaerobic co-digestion of food waste with sewage sludge. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 101:7755–7766. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-017-8499-7
Whiting A, Azapagic A (2014) Life cycle environmental impacts of generating electricity and heat from biogas produced by anaerobic digestion. Energy 70:181–193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2014.03.103
Wickham R, Galway B, Bustamante H, Nghiem LD (2016) Biomethane potential evaluation of co-digestion of sewage sludge and organic wastes. Int Biodeterior Biodegrad 113:3–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibiod.2016.03.018
WRAP (2016) Estimates of food surplus and waste arisings in the UK. Waste & Resources Action Programme. http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/Estimates_%20in_the_UK_Jan17.pdf
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Responsible editor: Philippe Loubet
Electronic supplementary material
ESM 1
(DOCX 142 kb)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Iacovidou, E., Voulvoulis, N. A multi-criteria sustainability assessment framework: development and application in comparing two food waste management options using a UK region as a case study. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 35821–35834 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-2479-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-2479-z