Life cycle assessment of innovative methods for treating wastewater and solid wastes: a case study focusing on their application within the brewing sector

Abstract

The brewing sector is known for its high energy consumption, significant water usage, and the generation of substantial solid and liquid waste. Therefore, effective treatment methods for these wastes have been explored to treat and either recycle water within the industry or proceed to safe aquatic discharge, while repurposing solid waste for energy production and valuable products. This study aims to assess the overall environmental sustainability of solid waste valorization and wastewater treatment in a brewery through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The evaluation involved comparing the total environmental impact of a typical brewing industry utilizing conventional waste management methods (base case scenario) with two alternative approaches employing appropriate waste treatment and valorization processes. In scenario A, waste management employed anaerobic digestion coupled with a cogeneration unit, aeration treatment, and membrane filtration treatment. Meanwhile, Scenario B utilized gasification, screening, membrane bioreactors and UV treatment as treatment techniques. As anticipated, the LCA study revealed that both Scenarios A and B exhibited significantly improved environmental footprints across all studied indicators compared to the base case scenario, with reductions in the greenhouse gas emissions reaching up to 25.90% and 45.68% for Scenarios A and B, respectively. The findings from this case study underscore the potential for the brewing industry to efficiently generate energy and markedly improve its environmental footprint by integrating appropriate waste treatment methods. This contribution to environmental safety and sustainability emphasizes the significance of adopting suitable techniques within the industry.