DEVELOPMENT OF A DECISION-SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR MUNICIPAL SOLID-WASTE MANAGEMENT-SYSTEMS PLANNING

A review of the municipal solid waste (MSW) management and planning li terature reveals the growing number and complexity of the available ma thematical models. A technical survey of practising waste management p rofessionals indicated a general interest in, but lack of practical ap plications of, mathematical modelling techniques. The creation of know ledge-based systems to interface with individual MSW management and pl anning models, or assist with model selection and integration is propo sed. As a means of demonstrating the validity of the suggested decisio n support approach, a prototype decision support system was developed to assist with the preliminary planning of MSW management systems. Thi s planning fool combines knowledge-based system components with spread sheet, optimization and stimulation models to assist with: waste forec asting; technology evaluation; recycling and composting programme desi gn; facility sizing; location and investment timing; waste allocation; and MSW management system analysis using stimulation. A case study ap plication of the planning tool is described. (C) 1996 ISWA