title: Municipal solid waste management on the south coastline of the Caspian Sea (Golestan, Mazandaran, and Guilan Provinces of Iran).
abstract: The Caspian region (including the Golestan, Mazandaran, and Guilan provinces of Iran) occupies 58,678 square kilometers (22,651 square miles) and has a population of 6,270,192, according to the census of 1996. This part of Iran is attractive to tourists because of its proximity to the Caspian Sea. In addition, the region boasts invaluable forests and grasslands, and is the exclusive producer in the country of key agricultural crops like rice and tea. The lack of systematic solid waste management has put this region on the edge of irreparable environmental damage. The large number and dispersion of open-dumping landfills, as well as the faded role of functional elements like waste minimization and processing, have sped up the environmental deterioration. This article evaluates the current status of solid waste management in the Caspian region and suggests practical alternatives. As a result of a field and desk study, the authors offer some instructions for separation of putrescibles, paper and cardboard, plastics, and so forth. Finally, after considering all aspects of the environmental impact assessments for different alternatives, the authors recommend the construction of two compost-producing facilities in Golestan province with a combined capacity of 500 metric tons per day and a total cost of $60,000, and four incineration sites in southern and southwestern parts of the region (Mazandaran and Guilan provinces) with a total capacity of 2,000 metric tons per day and total cost of $75 million.
authors.forename: Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Abduli
authors.forename: Gholamreza Nabi
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Bidhendi
authors.forename: Touraj
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nasrabadi
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hoveidi
mesh_terms: D002947:Cities; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D007492:Iran; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods*