Inventory Analysis and Environmental Life Cycle Impact Assessment of Hotel Food Waste Management for Bio-Circular Economy Development in Zimbabwe

Abstract

This study is an inventory analysis and environmental life cycle assessment (ELCA) of hotel food waste management (FWM) for bio-circular economy development in Zimbabwe. An audit of the food waste generation and inventory analysis of the prevailing FWM practices at the selected three hotels was undertaken. The greenhouse gas emissions from the prevailing disposal of FW at dumpsites and proposed biological treatment of FW were evaluated using the Tier 1 FOD method and Tier 1 method of biological treatment under the 2019 refined 2006 IPCC guidelines. ELCA was also conducted for the open dumping, composting and anaerobic digestion. The average FW generation within the Zimbabwean hospitality industry was estimated at 1.63 kg/guest/day with a maximum and minimum of 1.01 and 2.25 kg/guest/day respectively. These waste generation figures are lower than the reported figures from other studies and jurisdictions. Source separation of FW is currently being practiced though the source separated FW is indiscriminately collected by Municipal Waste collection trucks for final disposal at the official landfills or dumpsites rendering the FW source separation a futile exercise hence the need for an offtake system in the form of composting or anaerobic digestion (AD) for the FW. The disposal of FW at SWDS contributes to the highest GHG emissions followed by composting that brings about a maximum of 75% reduction in GHG emissions. AD brings about a maximum reduction in GHG emissions of 97%. ELCA results show that AD is the best methods leading to net negative environmental impacts.