Title: Designing a framework for managing municipal waste through utilising WtE conversion technology: a case study

Authors: Abdul Sattar Safaei; Faezeh Bagheri; Mohammad Mahdi Paydar; Sahar Sharifi Barforooshi

Addresses: Department of Industrial Engineering, Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Shariati Av., Babol, Mazandaran, Iran ' Department of Industrial Engineering, Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Shariati Av., Babol, Mazandaran, Iran ' Department of Industrial Engineering, Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Shariati Av., Babol, Mazandaran, Iran ' Department of Industrial Engineering, Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Shariati Av., Babol, Mazandaran, Iran

Abstract: Municipal solid waste management has always been an inevitable challenge for governments to overcome. This study proposed a new framework for managing waste by exploiting it as an endless resource for generating energy. The suggested framework establishes a comprehensive waste management plan in two stages. The first stage determines the optimum waste-to-energy (WtE) technology based on key criteria by employing TOPSIS. These criteria are not restricted to sustainable dimensions and consider technical dimensions as well. The second stage designs a supply chain structure based on the installation of a WtE power plant, with the goal of maximising profit while minimising CO₂ emissions. The proposed adaptive model allows the decision-maker to choose a WtE technology in the first stage and accordingly outline the supply chain structure. A municipal solid waste management case study provided insights into how the proposed framework could help decision-makers create a better environment.

Keywords: municipal waste management; waste-to-energy power plant; technology selection; multi-objective optimisation model.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2024.139966

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2024 Vol.34 No.3, pp.261 - 296

Received: 25 Aug 2021
Accepted: 21 Jan 2022
Published online: 15 Jul 2024 *

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