The ecologycal footprint of transporting waste in the province os Castellón

Abstract

One of the major problems of waste management in the province of Castellon is the shortage of treatment facilities and the unsuitable geographical distribution of existing facilities. This situation is contrary to the principles of self-sufficiency and proximity governing correct waste management and leads to excessive transport costs, in both economic and environmental terms. An example of this situation can be seen in the facilities for treating municipal solid waste (MSW), most of which have been closed down in recent years. Yet, the construction of new facilities to replace them has suffered continual delays and, as a result, much of the MSW produced in the province of Castellon is transported to the province of Alicante. In this study a Geographical Information System is used, together with indicators of the carbon footprint and the ecological footprint, to assess the environmental impact of transporting MSW in the province of Castellon. The footprint of transporting MSW is thus assessed in both the current scenario and the future scenario, that is, once the planned treatment facilities become operational. Results are then compared in order to determine the environmental impact caused by the delay in setting up new facilities in the province.