Modeling a circular economy–based community solid waste processing system: life cycle assessment and local economic feasibility

This study develops an integrated evaluation framework that combines Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with economic feasibility analysis to support the selection of waste management technologies aligned with circular economy principles at a community-based solid waste processing facility in Cebongan Village, Salatiga City, Indonesia. Primary data on waste generation showed that organic waste accounted for approximately 78% of total waste by weight, while plastics represented about 54% of total waste by volume. These findings indicate that organic waste is the dominant component of local waste generation, supporting the application of biological treatment systems. The LCA results show that windrow composting has the lowest environmental impact across most categories, including eutrophication (0.00014 kg PO₄ eq), acidification (0.00023 kg SO₂ eq), marine aquatic toxicity (0.033 kg 1,4-DCB eq), and ozone depletion (2.07 × 10⁻⁸ kg CFC-11 eq) per kilogram of waste processed. The shredding process was identified as the main environmental hotspot across all technologies. The LCA further indicates that environmental hotspots are mainly associated with greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and eutrophication impacts. The economic assessment showed that recovered products, including compost, digestate, animal feed, and biogas, can generate sufficient revenue to support operational costs, with an estimated payback period (PBP) of 3–5 years. The proposed system could reduce waste volume by up to 75.9%, thereby extending landfill lifespan and supporting local sustainability and circular economy objectives. These findings provide practical guidance for selecting environmentally and economically suitable biological waste treatment systems in community-based waste management settings.