Waste to Energy Conversion: Key Elements for Sustainable Waste Management

By prioritizing cleaner waste-to-energy (WTE) conversion technology, world is trying to meet its sustainable development goals. This requires investigating any and all sustainable options across the globe. The most exciting of them is the sustainable bio-economy, followed by power and waste management. When considering the three dimensions of sustainability (social, environmental, and economic), previous sustainability assessments of electricity generation through waste to energy supply chain technologies have been limited. Although several waste treatment options have been investigated over the last few decades, and their widespread adoption has been hampered by a number of drawbacks, such as the need for chemicals, the generation of disinfection by-products (DBPs), the length of time required, and the cost involved. Nanotechnology has shown remarkable progress in various fields, including waste treatment. Nanomaterials (1–100 nm) have a greater capacity of oxidation/reduction reaction, catalytic activity, and heavy metal adsorption, making them an innovative eco-waste handling tool. In this study, we have discussed various waste types. We've tried to cover all the cutting-edge waste to energy conversion methods. It includes thermal and biological processing to use of landfill gas and biorefineries and the use of various nanomaterials for enhancement of waste to energy conversion technologies. Prior to enacting and enforcing applicable laws and regulations, policymakers and agencies might consider employing these technologies to address community concerns. It is also crucial to identify barriers, including finance constraints, institutional and technological limitations, and regulatory challenges before implementing rules and regulations for Waste-to-Energy Supply chain (WTE-SC). Overall, this literature evaluation suggests continuation of research in this field.