@article{NussGardnerBringezu2013,
  author    = {Nuss, Philip and Gardner, Kevin H. and Bringezu, Stefan},
  title     = {Environmental implications and costs of municipal solid waste-derived ethylene},
  journal   = {Journal of industrial ecology},
  volume    = {17},
  number    = {6},
  doi       = {10.1111/jiec.12066},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:wup4-opus-51116},
  pages     = {912 -- 925},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {Carbon recycling, in which organic waste is recycled into chemical feedstock for material production, may provide benefits in resource efficiency and a more cyclical economy - but may also create {"}trade-offs{"} in increased impacts elsewhere. We investigate the system-wide environmental burdens and cost associated with carbon recycling routes capable of converting municipal solid waste (MSW) by gasification and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis into ethylene. Results are compared to business-as-usual (BAU) cases in which ethylene is derived from fossil resources and waste is either landfilled with methane and energy recovery (BAU\#1) or incinerated (BAU\#2) with energy recovery. Monte Carlo and sensitivity analysis is used to assess uncertainties of the results. Results indicate that carbon recycling may lead to a reduction in cumulative energy demand (CED), total material requirement (TMR), and acidification, when compared to BAU\#1. Global warming potential is found to be similar or slightly lower than BAU\#1 and BAU\#2. In comparison to BAU\#2, carbon recycling results in higher CED, TMR, acidification, and smog potential, mainly as a result of larger (fossil-based) energy offsets from energy recovery. However, if a renewable power mix (envisioned for the future) is assumed to be offset, BAU\#2 impacts may be similar or higher than carbon recycling routes. Production cost per kilogram (kg) MSW-derived ethylene range between US\$1.85 and US\$2.06 (Jan 2011 US\$). This compares to US\$1.17 per kg for fossil-based ethylene. Waste-derived ethylene breaks even with its fossil-based counterpart at a tipping fee of roughly US\$42 per metric ton of waste feedstock.},
  language  = {en}
}