Define the feed after collection
Record composition, moisture, packaging and other contaminants, together with quantities and variability. Describe storage and transport. If preparation or separation changes the feed, assess the prepared material rather than assuming the incoming waste will behave the same way.
Use the same system boundary
Compare options on a common basis: collection, preprocessing, treatment, utilities, staffing and residual handling. For composting, anaerobic digestion, drying or combined routes, ask what supporting operations and infrastructure are included in the proposal and what remains outside it.
Check the destination of every output
List solid, liquid and gaseous outputs relevant to the concept. Identify proposed use, quality requirements, storage, transport and the alternative if an intended outlet is unavailable. A recovery claim is incomplete when product acceptance or residual management remains unresolved.
Turn uncertainty into a validation plan
Ask which assumptions are supported by representative data and which need testing. For mixed feedstocks, keep the characteristics of each stream visible. A shortlist may be the right first output when available information cannot yet support a final process choice.
Sources & context
- US EPA · Basic information about anaerobic digestion ↗
- European Commission JRC · Management options for used and waste textiles (2023) ↗
Background reading checked 9 October 2026. The review questions and structures above are BGF editorial guidance; the references are not BGF project evidence or endorsements. Apply them to the relevant site, data and agreed scope.