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Software

2017 • University of Gävle (HiG) ORWARE – Organic Waste Research Model

ORWARE is a computer-based Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) model designed for environmental and economic assessment of waste management systems. It simulates material flows, environmental impacts, and costs across various waste management technologies, covering both organic and inorganic waste fractions. The tool provides detailed outputs on emissions, energy use, and financial performance, making it valuable for optimizing waste management strategies and evaluating scenarios for resource recovery. It supports decision-making in municipalities and industries, enabling the integration of waste treatment with energy and nutrient recovery.

Recovered Materials & Products

Energy
Electricity
Heat
Biogas
Fertilizer
Compost
Digestate
Soil conditioner
Landfill gas
Ash

Waste Streams

Wastewater
Organic solid waste
Wastewater sludge
Sewage sludge

Confirmed countries

Guatemala

What is this tool intended for?

ORWARE assesses and compares the environmental, economic, and resource recovery impacts of different waste management options. It identifies optimal waste treatment pathways, including energy and material recovery, for municipalities and industries.

How does this tool work?

The model consists of modular sub-models for waste collection, treatment (e.g., anaerobic digestion, incineration, composting), and downstream processes. Using LCA principles, ORWARE evaluates waste-to-product conversion (e.g., biogas, compost) and compensatory systems (e.g., avoided fertilizer production). Simulations are conducted in MATLAB and Simulink, requiring input data on waste composition, process parameters, and economic factors.

Who might use this tool and with which types of stakeholders?

  • Municipalities and city planners for waste management strategy evaluation
  • Researchers and academics for environmental systems analysis
  • Industries exploring waste-to-resource initiatives
  • Policymakers for scenario planning and environmental impact assessment

What stages of a process can this tool support?

  • Planning and design of waste management systems
  • Scenario analysis for comparing environmental and economic performance
  • Policy and regulatory impact assessment
  • Monitoring and optimization of existing systems

What skills, capabilities, and resources are required to use this tool?

  • Proficiency in MATLAB and LCA methodologies
  • Access to detailed waste composition and process data
  • Collaboration with technical experts for model setup and interpretation

Where can this tool be used?

ORWARE has global applicability but requires localized data for accurate simulations. It has been applied in Sweden, among other countries for various waste management scenarios.

Get the Tool

The ORWARE model is implemented via Matlab and can be accessed through contacting Ola Erksson at HiG. Contact information is available at the link below
https://www.hig.se/engelska/university-of-gavle/research/researchers/atm/ola-norrman-eriksson

Learn more

Scientific paper about the tool: Eriksson, Ola, Björn Frostell, Anna Björklund, Getachew Assefa, J-O. Sundqvist, J. Granath, M. Carlsson, Andras Baky, and Lennart Thyselius. "ORWARE—a simulation tool for waste management." Resources, Conservation and Recycling 36, no. 4 (2002): 287-307.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-3449(02)00031-9

Technologies

Composting
Anaerobic digestion
Combined heat and power (CHP)
Activated sludge
Landfilling

Themes

GHG emissions
Waste-to-energy
Environmental Impact Assessment