The　source　separation　and　treatment　of　food　waste　is　urgent　for　sustainable　municipal　solid　waste　(MSW)　management.　Household　kitchen　waste　(HKW)　is　relatively　difficult　to　manage　as　large　amounts　are　produced　by　dispersed　sources.　Although　many　countries　and　regions　have　begun　to　promote　HKW　source　sorting,　controversy　over　whether　and　how　this　approach　could　improve　the　comprehensive　benefits　of　MSW　management　remains.　This　study　constructed　four　most　potential　HKW　source　separation　scenarios,　and　compared　their　energy　efficiency,　environmental　impact　and　economic　benefits　were　with　the　baseline　full　waste-incineration　scenario　to　provide　foundation　for　HKW　management　policy　formation.　The　results　showed　that,　when　the　amount　of　MSW　stabilized,　promoting　HKW　source　separation　had　no　significant　advantages,　while　the　overall　benefits　of　HKW　separation　would　be　further　expanded　with　continuous　increases　in　the　generation　amount　of　MSW,　and　the　economic　cost　would　be　acceptable.　The　suitable　application　conditions　of　different　source　separation　modes　vary.　Centralized　anaerobic　digestion　of　HKW　is　a　suitable　choice　for　regions　determined　to　promote　long-term　HKW　separation,　since　it　could　reduce　environmental　impact　by　3%–51%　over　the　baseline　scenario,　and　the　comprehensive　benefits　would　be　further　accentuated　as　the　source　separation　rate　increased.　Small-scale　on-site　biochemical　HKW　treatment　should　not　be　widely　utilized　as　it　has　high　pollutant　emissions　and　costs　per-unit.　Food　waste　disposers　(FWDs)　achieved　outstanding　waste　reduction　effect,　and　the　government　could　guide　the　purchase　of　FWDs　by　residents　according　to　the　urban　drainage　system　conditions.　HKW　source　dewatering　required　the　lowest　cost　and　effort,　and　could　be　a　suitable　solution　for　regions　that　cannot　promote　strict　HKW　source　separation.　©　2022　Elsevier　Ltd