Assessing the eco-effectiveness of a solid waste management plan using agent-based modelling

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Waste Management
• Economics

Background:

• Municipal solid waste management in developing countries, particularly Brazil, faces eco-ineffective practices like improper landfilling, causing environmental, social, and economic issues.
• Paraná state revised its waste management plan in 2018 for gradual implementation until 2038, but its regional eco-effectiveness and forecasted benefits remain unassessed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To downscale Paraná's waste management plan to the Norte Pioneiro region.
• To simulate the plan's implementation and forecast environmental and economic benefits.
• To assess the eco-effectiveness of waste reduction, collection, source-separation, and waste fee strategies.

Main Methods:

• An agent-based model was employed to simulate waste generation, collection, and disposal dynamics.
• Four population growth scenarios were considered.
• Targets for waste reduction, collection, source-separation, and waste fee strategies were modelled and simulated.

Main Results:

• Thorough implementation of the plan since 2020 can achieve at least 650 kilotons of avoided CO2eq emissions by 2038.
• Potential economic benefits include US$ 40 million in avoided expenditures in the most conservative scenario by 2038.
• The study highlights implications of proposed strategies and provides recommendations for enhancing eco-effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• The downscaled waste management plan offers significant environmental and economic advantages for the Norte Pioneiro region.
• Effective implementation of waste reduction, collection, and source-separation strategies is crucial for maximizing benefits.
• Recommendations are provided to improve the plan's overall eco-effectiveness and ensure sustainable waste management.