Publications (52) View all
-
Article: Assessment of potential impacts of municipal solid waste treatment alternatives by using life cycle approach: a case study in Vietnam.
Nguyen Phuc Thanh, Yasuhiro Matsui[show abstract] [hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: In Vietnam, most of municipal solid waste (MSW) is disposed of at open dumping and landfill sites, and the methane gas from waste is the un-ignorable source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. It is indispensable to explore the possibility for GHG mitigation in MSW management. The objective of this study was to estimate alternative waste treatment practices towards the GHG emission mitigation, energy consumption and generation, reduction of landfill volume, and various benefits for proposing the appropriate selection by scenario analyses for representative Vietnam's cities. Impacts were calculated by utilizing life cycle assessment (LCA) method. A literature review survey on the current applicability of LCA database for assessing impacts from waste sector in developing countries, especially for Vietnam, was carried out. This study assessed the contribution of alternative solid waste treatment practices. The result showed that, except investment and operation costs, incineration with energy recovery seems the suitable alternative for treating waste from representative cities of Vietnam according to reduction of GHG emission and waste burden to landfill sites and energy recovery and generation. Besides, MSW composition was identified as an important factor directly influencing to impacts as well as other products and benefits of waste treatment alternatives. Reliable data on waste composition are indispensable for assessing to choose, improve, or plan the waste treatment practices towards sustainable development.Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 03/2013; · 1.40 Impact Factor -
Conference Proceeding: Commercial and institutional solid waste generation and relevant factors: Case study in tourism city - Hue, Vietnam
[show abstract] [hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: This study was undertaken to evaluate the waste generation rate and composition generated from commercial and institutional sectors to identify the potential for recycling, discharge, and treatment in a tourism city-Hue city, central of Vietnam. Waste generation rate (kg/unit/day) was calculated and discussed in various units of dischargers. The waste compositions were analyzed in 10 physical categories for each component of institutional and commercial sectors. The relevant factors influencing generation rates were analyzed. The authors also explored the putative correlations between the waste generation rate and the examined factors. The outcomes of this study clarified the total and detail figures of waste generation and composition and relevant factors influencing waste generation rates from commercial and institutional sectors. These are indispensable to develop reliable predictive models and master plans towards integrated waste management and sustainable development.The 10th Expert Meeting on Solid Waste Management in Asia and Pacific Islands (SWAPI), Tottori, Japan; 02/2012 -
Article: An evaluation of alternative household solid waste treatment practices using life cycle inventory assessment mode.
Nguyen Phuc Thanh, Yasuhiro Matsui[show abstract] [hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Waste disposal is an important part of the life cycle of a product and is associated with environmental burdens like any other life-cycle stages. In this study, an integrated assessment for solid waste treatment practices, especially household solid waste, was undertaken to evaluate the impact contribution of household solid waste treatment alternatives towards the sustainable development by using Life Cycle Inventory Assessment method. A case study has been investigated under various possible scenarios, such as (1) landfill without landfill gas recovery, (2) landfill with landfill gas recovery and flaring, (3) landfill with landfill gas recovery and electric generation, (4) composting, and (5) incineration. The evaluation utilized the Life Cycle Inventory Assessment method for multiple assessments based on various aspects, such as greenhouse gas emission/reduction, energy generation/consumption, economic benefit, investment and operating cost, and land use burden. The results showed that incineration was the most efficient alternative for greenhouse gas emission reduction, economic benefit, energy recovery, and land use reduction, although it was identified as the most expensive for investment and operating cost, while composting scenario was also an efficient alternative with quite economic benefit, low investment and operating cost, and high reduction of land use, although it was identified as existing greenhouse gas emission and no energy generation. Furthermore, the aim of this study was also to establish localized assessment methods that waste management agencies, environmental engineers, and environmental policy decision makers can use to quantify and compare the contribution to the impacts from different waste treatment options.Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 07/2011; 184(6):3515-27. · 1.40 Impact Factor -
Article: Assessment of plastic waste generation and its potential recycling of household solid waste in Can Tho City, Vietnam.
Nguyen Phuc Thanh, Yasuhiro Matsui, Takeshi Fujiwara[show abstract] [hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Plastic solid waste has become a serious problem when considering the disposal alternatives following the sequential hierarchy of sound solid waste management. This study was undertaken to assess the quantity and composition of household solid waste, especially plastic waste to identify opportunities for waste recycling. A 1-month survey of 130 households was carried out in Can Tho City, the capital city of the Mekong Delta region in southern Vietnam. Household solid waste was collected from each household and classified into ten physical categories; especially plastic waste was sorted into 22 subcategories. The average household solid waste generation rate was 281.27 g/cap/day. The compostable and recyclable shares respectively accounted for high percentage as 80.74% and 11%. Regarding plastic waste, the average plastic waste generation rate was 17.24 g/cap/day; plastic packaging and plastic containers dominated with the high percentage, 95.64% of plastic waste. Plastic shopping bags were especially identified as the major component, accounting for 45.72% of total plastic waste. Relevant factors such as household income and household size were found to have an existing correlation to plastic waste generation in detailed composition. The household habits and behaviors of plastic waste discharge and the aspects of environmental impacts and resource consumption for plastic waste disposal alternatives were also evaluated.Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 04/2011; 175(1-4):23-35. · 1.40 Impact Factor -
Article: Household solid waste generation and characteristic in a Mekong Delta city, Vietnam.
Nguyen Phuc Thanh, Yasuhiro Matsui, Takeshi Fujiwara[show abstract] [hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: This study was undertaken to evaluate the quantity and composition of household solid waste to identify opportunities for waste recycling in Can Tho city, the capital city of the Mekong Delta region in southern Vietnam. Two-stage survey of 100 households was conducted for dry season and rainy season in 2009. Household solid waste was collected from each household and classified into 10 physical categories and 83 subcategories. The average household solid waste generation rate was 285.28 g per capita per day. The compostable and recyclable shares respectively accounted for 80.02% and 11.73%. The authors also analyzed the relations between some socioeconomic factors and household solid waste generation rates by physical categories and subcategories. The household solid waste generation rate per capita per day was positively correlated with the population density and urbanization level, although it was negatively correlated with the household size. The authors also developed mathematical models of correlations between the waste generation rates of main physical categories and relevant factors, such as household size and household income. The models were proposed by linear models with three variables to predict household solid waste generation of total waste, food waste, and plastic waste. It was shown that these correlations were weak and a relationship among variables existed. Comparisons of waste generation by physical compositions associated with different factors, such as seasonal and daily variation were conducted. Results presented that the significant average differences were found by the different seasons and by the different days in a week; although these correlations were weak. The greenhouse gas baseline emission was also calculated as 292.25 g (CO(2) eq.) per capita per day from biodegradable components.Journal of Environmental Management 11/2010; 91(11):2307-21. · 3.24 Impact Factor