Abstract
In this research, we conducted a comparative evaluation of five systems and three scenarios for introducing separation/recycling technology of kitchen waste. The evaluation methods we utilized in this research were the conventional LCA to focus on the evaluation of technological systems without taking the social framework transitions into account and the life cycle simulation (LCS) to evaluate social framework transitions and the changes in environmental burdens due to the aforementioned transitions. For the LCS, targeting a future time frame of 50 years from the year 2000, we established a scenario based on the secular trend in which 50% of newly constructed housing complexes are expected to be incorporated with disposal systems equipped with purified water tanks. In contrast, we also established a scenario in which direct pipe type disposal systems would spread from the year 2000, and a system in which use of solid/liquid separation devices and the use of Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) would spread, in order to compare them with the case based on the secular trend. In this comparison, we succeeded in showing advantages in terms of energy consumption and the greenhouse effect.
