LIFE ABATE Project

Development and demonstration of an innovative system to reduce volatile organic compounds in EU waste treatment plants, reducing CO2 emissions and energy consumption.

Technical details

  • Subjects:
    Waste
  • Status:
    En curs
  • Municipality:
  • Programme:
    LIFE
  • Project number:
    LIFE22 ENV /101113838
  • Total budget:
    €3,246,062.21
  • AMB budget:
    €605,209.12 (60 % EU funding)
  • Project management (AMB):
    Julia Hereza (Digital Information, Quality and Innovation Service technician), Glòria Sánchez (head of the Quality Control section) and Joan Carles Fernández (head of the Digital Information, Quality and Innovation Service)
  • Other partners:
    University of Valladolid (ES) (coordinator), Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona (ES), Aeris Tecnologías Ambientales, SL (ES), Kalfrisa, SAU (ES), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-Barcelona Tech (ES), FCC Medio Ambiente, SAU (ES)
  • Financing:

    LIFE

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Important information

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Project challenges


 

The LIFE ABATE project poses several challenges.

  • Waste generation on the rise

    The rapid growth in the world’s population, rising living standards and technological advances are leading to a steady increase in the generation of municipal solid waste (MSW). Current global MSW production amounts to approximately 2 billion tonnes per year and is estimated to reach 3.4 billion tonnes by 2050. Specifically, 225 million tonnes were generated in the EU in 2020, of which 52 million tonnes was sent for final disposal. Landfill has long been the most common treatment system for unsegregated MSW due to its low operating and capital costs. However, implementation of EU regulations (Directive 31/1999, Directive 62/1994) and efforts to achieve near zero landfill led to a drop in the EU landfill rate from 61 % in 1995 to 23 % in 2020, and this is expected to decrease further.

Objectives

The main objective of LIFE ABATE is to test an innovative air treatment system to reduce the environmental and economic impact of MBT plants for municipal waste. This will be achieved by increasing the efficiency of VOC and odour removal, as well as decreasing energy requirements (saving on natural gas and electricity) and operating costs.

  • Specific objectives
    • Increase VOC removal efficiency

    Increased VOC removal efficiency of conventional biological alternatives, starting from 30-70 % for hydrophobic VOCs up to 90-95% removal.

    • Reduce thermal energy consumption in RTO by 90 %

    Reduction of annual thermal energy consumption in the RTO from 32,461,968 MJ/year to 3,246,197 MJ/year.

    • Reduce electrical energy consumption in biological systems by 45 %

    Reduction of annual electrical energy consumption compared to conventional biological systems from 9,937,723 MJ/year to 5,450,693 MJ/year.

    • Reduce operational costs in RTO by 82 % and in biological systems by 94 %

    Reduction of operating costs (CAPEX) of RTO per m3 treated from €0.118/m3 to €0.021/m3, and of biological systems from €0.018/m3 to €0.0011/m3.

    • Reduce carbon footprint in RTO by 90 % and in biological systems by 45 %

    Reduction of annual CO2 emissions in the RTO, from 350,683 kg CO2-eq/year to 35,068 kg CO2-eq/year, and from biological systems, from 320,216 kg CO2-eq/year to 175,633 kg CO2-eq/year.

    • Increase agricultural production by 30 %

    Promote crop growth and improve production by 30 % by transferring CO2 emissions generated by the system.

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Timeline