Life Cycle Assessment of Municipal Solid Waste in Ado-Ekiti Using Adapted Loksa Model

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) of municipal solid waste (MSW) management options for Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria, by adapting the method from Dada (2022) which assessed MSW in Loksa, Estonia. We simulate realistic data on local waste generation (≈80,000 tonnes/year) and composition, and evaluate three alternatives – (I) Recycling + Incineration, (II) Incineration only, and (III) Landfilling – through both environmental (life cycle greenhouse gas emissions) and economic (life cycle cost) analyses. The Loksa model was improved for the Nigerian context by accounting for Ado-Ekiti’s high organic waste fraction and limited existing infrastructure. Results indicate that Alternative I (integrated material recovery and waste-to-energy) is the most sustainable option, yielding the lowest net annual cost (~$3.4 million) and significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions (~5,000 tCO₂-eq/year) than the landfill scenario. Direct landfilling (Alternative III) produces the highest emissions (~25,000 tCO₂-eq/year) and poses long-term environmental and economic drawbacks. We recommend Ado-Ekiti pursue an integrated strategy centered on enhanced recycling, energy recovery from waste, and minimized landfilling. This approach would improve environmental outcomes and align with circular economy principles, though it requires investments in waste sorting facilities, an incineration plant, and supportive policies. Overall, the adapted LCA demonstrates that adopting the recycling-plus-incineration model can make Ado-Ekiti’s waste management more environmentally friendly and cost-effective, providing a blueprint for sustainable MSW management in similar developing urban contexts.