Current state and potential valorisation of ship-generated organic waste in Quebec, Canada

The Quebec residual materials management policy implies the banning of organic waste disposal or incineration from 2022 onwards. This policy also applies to domestic ship-generated organic waste. However, little is known about the current state of ship-generated organic waste management in the province of Quebec. This study aims to analyse the current situation and propose sustainable strategies for ship-generated organic waste valorisation in Quebec. Using the available data, it was attempted to estimate ship-generated waste quantities in Quebec, after which the current practices of domestic ship-generated organic waste management in Quebec and Europe were inventoried, along with international waste management practices. Five waste valorisation scenarios were then proposed and compared in terms of advantages and disadvantages, required equipment, and associated costs and revenues. It involves: 1) composting on board of the ship, 2) centralised composting, 3) composting at the port, 4) centralised biomethanation, and 5) biomethanation at the port. The current available data on ship-generated waste quantities in Quebec did, however, not allow selecting an optimal scenario. The information provided in this short communication can serve as a valuable basis to guide future research efforts and decision-making in this regard. Furthermore, the current management of international waste was found to be complex and costly, although biomethanation of such waste could offer a suitable and more sustainable solution. Finally, it was concluded that a good cooperation between ships and ports is crucial to the implementation of any sustainable waste valorisation strategy. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.