AN EXPERT-SYSTEM FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT

Management of hazardous waste is an increasing problem for both the co mpanies that generate the waste and for the communities that eventuall y experience the consequences of the management decisions. Thus, both social and political aspects must be considered when solving these pro blems. It is thus important that waste management technologies are eva luated by a panel of experts with various backgrounds. The methodology for developing an expert system for waste treatment technology evalua tion was discussed. An expert system was developed to select the ''bes t'' waste treatment alternatives. This expert system includes two diff erent knowledge bases: one for the economic and technical parts of the problem and another for the social and political aspects. This expert system was developed on an IBM personal computer using Turbo Prolog(T M). The pulp and paper industry was selected as an example problem for developing this expert system, which system was tested using two exam ple waste streams from the pulp and paper industry. The results agree with the current treatment facilities the companies are using. (C) 199 6 Academic Press Limited