Systems analysis as support for decision making towards sustainable municipal waste management--a case study.
During the last decade, systems analysis has become a more frequently used tool in municipal waste management. This paper investigates how one such analysis, carried out in a Swedish county, was perceived by local municipal officers and politicians as support in the decision-making process. A questionnaire was sent to municipal officers and politicians in local government committees and municipal councils. The respondents considered the most important aspects in evaluating scenarios to be: possibilities for municipal co-operation to minimize cost and negative environmental influence; sound working conditions for refuse disposal personnel; low emissions of greenhouse gases; keeping household economy in mind; and using technologies that are known and reliable. Aspects of relatively low importance were the number of locally generated job opportunities, and minimizing work efforts for the households. The study also showed differences between male and female respondents and between politicians and municipal officers, on how scenarios were valued and on which aspects of the systems analysis were of greatest importance for this valuation. Respondents, on average, were satisfied with the systems analysis, and its usefulness as a decision-support tool. However, more work should be carried out to explain and present the results of the systems analysis to further improve its usefulness.
Klang
Anders
A
Environmental Objectives Office, The County Administration of Jämtland, Ostersund, Sweden. anders.klang@z.lst.se
Vikman
Per-Ake
PA
Brattebø
Helge
H
D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003657:Decision Making; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011050:Policy Making; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D018505:Waste Management / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards