Waste streams, costs and emissions in municipal solid waste management: a case study from Finland

Abstract

Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) is undergoing major changes due mainly to high recovery rate targets being set by the European Union and national Governments. These higher rates have been set as one measure to achieve the sus- tamable development required by Agenda 21 of United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992. Increasing the recovery rates for munici pal solid waste affects waste management systems, particularly the composition of waste streams, costs and emissions from treatment and disposal activities.