Influence of the Collection Equipment on Organic Waste Treatment: Technical and Environmental Analyses

The research investigated the influence of different collection bag types on the environmental and energy performances of the food waste management chain, comparing paper and bioplastic bags. First, the use of bags during the food waste household storage was examined. Subsequently, the behavior of bags when subjected to anaerobic digestion was evaluated, performing Biochemical Methane Potential tests and semi-continuous co-digestion tests with the food waste, to simulate the operating conditions of full-scale digesters. Finally, the performances of the food waste management chain were evaluated, with a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The experimental tests showed a more favorable behavior of paper bags, showing a very good compatibility with the anaerobic digestion. The LCA results revealed how paper bags lead to improvements in the impact associated to the food waste management.