Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Solid Waste Management System of Padang Beach Tourism Area (PBTA) in Padang City, Indonesia

Abstract

Urban coastal tourism areas, such as the Padang Beach Tourism Area (PBTA), face significant environmental challenges associated with increasing solid waste generation. This study utilizes Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in accordance with ISO 14040 standards to compare two solid waste management (SWM) scenarios for an average operating day. Scenario 1 represents the current city-scale system, characterized by limited informal recovery, with most of the collected waste disposed of at the Air Dingin controlled landfill. In contrast, Scenario 2 proposes a planned area-scale system that incorporates waste sorting, composting, and material recovery at a dedicated facility, directing any residual waste to the same landfill. The analysis focuses on a functional unit of 1,892.67 kg (1.893 tonnes) of PBTA waste generated per day, with landfill methane emissions quantified using IPCC 2006 parameters. Characterization uses the CML-IA baseline midpoint method, while EU25 normalization provides supplementary interpretative support. Results indicate a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 1.84×10³ kg CO₂-eq/day for Scenario 1, compared to 3.87×10² kg CO₂-eq/day for Scenario 2, reflecting a 79% reduction primarily due to decreased landfill waste. Findings underscore that enhancing local recovery strategies can significantly improve the environmental performance of SWM practices in coastal tourism areas.