Decision Maker’s Guides for Solid Waste Management Technologies

The Decision Maker’s Guides for Solid Waste Management Technologies were created to help mayors and decision makers understand the various technologies and when they would be appropriate based on local circumstances. Mayors are often approached by different solid waste management technology vendors and these guides aim to provide objective guidance and critical considerations. They offer insights into implementing environmentally sound treatment and disposal solutions.

The guides include:

• A basic description of what each technology is and how it works
• Key considerations when thinking about pursuing a specific technology
• Financial implications and suggestions for reducing and recovering costs
• Examples of where the technology has succeeded and failed
• Questions to ask the solid waste vendor to assess the appropriateness of the technology and vendor for the local context

This is a compilation of guidance documents that are standalone and can be utilized independently as required. The documents included entail the following:

• Summary of key insights for decision-makers to keep in mind for each technology
• Comparison table on key metrics for solid waste management technologies
• Guidance notes for sanitary landfills, composting, anaerobic digestion, incineration with energy recovery, and pyrolysis and gasification.