Constructing an effective prevention mechanism for MSW lifecycle using failure mode and effects analysis.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Waste Management Engineering
• Risk Assessment

Background:

• Municipal solid waste (MSW) management in Taiwan presents renewable energy potential but faces lifecycle failures.
• Existing literature shows the application of Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to MSW lifecycles.
• A systematic approach is needed to mitigate potential failures in waste classification, disposal, storage, collection, and transportation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To apply Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to identify, classify, and analyze common failures in the municipal solid waste lifecycle.
• To determine appropriate risk scoring for severity, occurrence, and detection of failure modes.
• To compute the Risk Priority Number (RPN) for prioritizing failure modes for improvement.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) for systematic failure identification and analysis.
• Assessed failure modes based on severity, occurrence, and detection parameters.
• Calculated the Risk Priority Number (RPN) to rank failure modes by risk level.

Main Results:

• Identified nineteen distinct failure modes within the municipal solid waste lifecycle.
• Ranked nine of these failure modes as priority items requiring improvement based on RPN.
• Recommended specific actions for all identified failure modes.

Conclusions:

• The implementation of FMEA and recommended actions led to a remarkable reduction in failure occurrences within six months.
• The study successfully minimized potential failures in MSW management.
• Continuous improvement in waste management processes was achieved, enhancing environmental protection.