Applications of mathematical models on municipal solid waste management systems

Abstract

Selecting appropriate locations for municipal solid waste (MSW) management facilities in urban centres is an important issue in rapidly developing regions. Potential alternatives need to be analyzed for finalizing the locations of these facilities. Mathematical modeling techniques are found to be effective for selecting the best among them. However, conventional models fail to include (i) all realistic conditions of study area; (ii) inherent uncertainty of parameters; and (iii) assessment of combinations of potential locations. To address these issues, a framework has been developed that encompasses all relevant parameters that too under uncertainty. The framework is illustrated on the Nashik city with realistic conditions, which is also replicable for most of the Indian urban centres due to almost similar MSW characteristics. Moreover, some other mathematical modeling implications for emerging problems such as plastics losses to the environment with their plausible impacts will be outlined with future prospects.