Life Cycle Inventory Tools: Supporting the Development of Sustainable Solid Waste Management Systems

Integrated Waste Management (IWM) is an approach that can be used to develop more sustainable waste management systems. Sustainable waste management means waste management systems that are environmentally effective, economically affordable and socially acceptable for a particular region and its individual circumstances. Based on an integrated approach to waste management, a community or region can continuously improve and monitor their solid waste management system. The tool of Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) can support the implementation of IWM. This tool can assess the use of resources (including energy), the release of emissions to air, water and land, and the generation of useful products from waste. LCI is a decision support tool and can help planners and waste managers design more sustainable waste management systems for the future.In this article the concept of Integrated Waste Management is described and the application of Life Cycle inventory tools to waste management is discussed. A number of current Life Cycle models for waste management systems are introduced.