System dynamics modeling of waste management, greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental costs from convenience stores

The municipal solid waste (MSW), food waste, and spent coffee grounds (SCG) generated by the fast-growing convenience store market is expected to affect the environment. In this study, six waste management scenarios and their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and environmental costs were evaluated using a system dynamics model from STELLA software. A maximum GHG mitigation of 24.22% was reached when both food waste and SCG were anaerobically digested with energy recovery. Energy recovery from waste management is helpful for GHG mitigation, but its effects are limited. Recycling MSW is the most costly method of waste management, followed by incineration and anaerobic digestion. The highest environmental revenue US$ 5332/y was achieved in the third scenario with highest GHG mitigation. To meet the requirements of corporate social responsibility, businesses could use the method established in this study to evaluate the environmental impacts of their GHG emissions and associated costs. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.