Planning for sustainable waste management
High variation of waste generation and economic growth rates, in addition to the lack of knowledge about their impacts, usually complicates the estimation of future waste generation trends. As a consequence, over- or under-capacity of collection infrastructure and treatment facilities often lead to additional costs for the waste management system. Especially in countries without environmental standards, but with rapid economic development, these changes are remarkable and intricately linked to waste generation assessment and prognosis. To address these and other needs, practical tools were developed to support the planning of new, and the optimisation of existing, waste management systems in European cities. A prognostic model enables substantiated forecasts of quantity as well as the composition estimates of municipal waste. Thereby, waste management systems will have the benefit of the appropriate capacity from the early stage of planning and thus function effectively in both environmental and economic terms. Furthermore, a performance assessment tool allows the user to assess and compare alternative waste management scenarios. This consists of a set of evaluation criteria along with impact indicators that cover all three pillars of sustainable development; economy, environment and social conditions. The proposed qualitative criteria will provide a conceptual assessment framework, while the indicators will allow for the quantitative assessment and benchmarking of waste management options. These software-based tools are envisaged to provide various actors involved in waste management planning and monitoring with an objective, practical and science-based decision support. Moreover, they can be used by authorities and consultancies to set guidelines and regulations for handling waste.
