Technical Synthesis Assessment of the Anaerobic Digestion of Food Waste in Beijing

Reducing the environmental and economic impacts of food waste is
essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and advancing
the circular economy. This study evaluates the sustainability potential
of anaerobic digestion of food waste (ADFW) in Beijing, a pioneer
in China’s waste separation and ADFW implementation. By integrating
a complementary judgment matrix, life cycle assessment, and techno-economic
assessment, we assess ADFW projects from social, environmental, and
economic perspectives. Results highlight that technology cost indicators
are key to ADFW sustainability, while environmental indicators strongly
correlate with other metrics (correlation coefficient >0.8). Treating
all sorted food waste in Beijing20% of total wastevia
anaerobic digestion could generate $96.5 million in annual revenues
and offset 0.295 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year.
Sensitivity analysis suggests that implementing a food waste disposal
charge of $52.24 per tonne is critical for mitigating market risks,
particularly those linked to crude oil price fluctuations. These findings
demonstrate that ADFW offers significant environmental and economic
benefits, underscoring the importance of targeted policies and technological
innovations to promote sustainable waste management and resource recovery,
aligning with the goals of the circular economy.