An environmentally sustainable decision model for urban solid waste management

Area of Science:

• Environmental Engineering
• Operations Research
• Municipal Management

Background:

• Municipal solid waste (MSW) management requires integrated planning for diverse treatment facilities.
• Existing systems often lack optimization for resource allocation and environmental impact mitigation.
• Decision-makers need tools to balance economic, technical, and environmental factors in waste management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the structure and application of a Decision Support System (DSS) for municipal waste management.
• To aid municipalities in developing integrated programs for incineration, disposal, treatment, and recycling.
• To optimize the number, type, and location of waste management facilities.

Main Methods:

• Development of a DSS based on a constrained non-linear optimization model.
• Inclusion of both binary and continuous decision variables.
• Objective function incorporates economic costs; constraints address technical, normative, and environmental issues.

Main Results:

• The DSS plans MSW management by defining refuse flows to various facilities.
• It suggests optimal configurations for waste treatment plants, including separators, RDF production, incinerators, organic treatment, and landfills.
• The system considers pollution and environmental impacts through constraints on emissions and disposal effects.

Conclusions:

• The DSS provides a robust framework for optimizing integrated MSW management strategies.
• It enables informed decision-making by balancing economic efficiency with environmental sustainability.
• The system supports municipalities in achieving effective and responsible waste management programs.