Abstract

This paper develops a methodology to systematically analyse and design sustainability scenarios for organic residues reuse, following environmental, economic, institutional, social and technological criteria. From a definition of sustainability, a set of criteria and indicators to assess baseline and proposed scenarios is unfolded in a sustainability framework. A characterization framework in turn proposes the revision of specific characteristics from the context and technological options allowing visualizing the data required for the assessment. The methodology is applied in an exemplary case study carried out in a rural community in Cusco, Peru. Scenarios around small-scale treatment of organic residues in combination with reuse of by-products are constructed and assessed following sustainability criteria. Special emphasis is given to on-site treatment and reuse technologies with the perspective of closing material cycles at the community level.