Systematic life cycle assessment of food waste management via composting technologies: An integrative review
2025 (English)In: Science of the Total Environment, ISSN 0048-9697, E-ISSN 1879-1026, Vol. 1003, article id 180645Article, review/survey (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Food waste management (FWM) is an urgent global issue with profound environmental and economic consequences. Composting, a key approach within FWM, offers an effective means of reducing the release of gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect, enhancing the vitality and quality of the soil, and supporting sustainable agricultural practices. This review comprehensively evaluates different composting technologies using a life cycle assessment (LCA) framework, with a focus on methods such as windrow, in-vessel, aerated static pile (ASP), and vermicomposting. These methods and innovations are evaluated based on their environmental impact, operational performance, and potential to be integrated with other waste management approaches, including anaerobic digestion. The review’s core findings highlight both the strengths and limitations of each composting method, underscoring the importance of selecting the right technology to meet specific operational requirements. Additionally, the review identifies major challenges in the composting process, such as inefficiencies, emission management, and inconsistencies in compost quality. Future research directions are outlined, focusing on improving process efficiency, advancing technology, and establishing more robust regulatory frameworks. By incorporating environmental, economic, and social considerations, this review enhances the broader understanding of composting’s significance in global FWM and lays the groundwork for future studies and policy initiatives aimed at advancing sustainability in waste management.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier, 2025. Vol. 1003, article id 180645
Keywords [en]
Anaerobic digestion, Economic and social effects, Environmental impact assessments, Environmental management, Food waste, Greenhouse effect, Greenhouse gases, Greenhouses, Life cycle, Life cycle assessment, Agricultural practices, Composting technologies, Economic consequences, Environmental consequences, Global issues, Greenhouse gas emissions, Impact assessments, Management IS, Sustainable agricultural, Composting, Sustainable development, composting, food waste, greenhouse effect, life cycle analysis, sustainability, waste management, anaerobic digestion, compost, electric potential, environmental impact, environmental impact assessment, greenhouse gas emission, human, life cycle assessment, nonhuman, pharmaceutics, review
National Category
Other Environmental Engineering
Research subject
Environmental and Energy Systems
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-107492DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.180645Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105017768116OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kau-107492DiVA, id: diva2:2013560
2025-11-132025-11-132026-02-12Bibliographically approved