title: Statistical analysis in MSW collection performance assessment.
abstract: The increase of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generated over the last years forces waste managers pursuing more effective collection schemes, technically viable, environmentally effective and economically sustainable. The assessment of MSW services using performance indicators plays a crucial role for improving service quality. In this work, we focus on the relevance of regular system monitoring as a service assessment tool. In particular, we select and test a core-set of MSW collection performance indicators (effective collection distance, effective collection time and effective fuel consumption) that highlights collection system strengths and weaknesses and supports pro-active management decision-making and strategic planning. A statistical analysis was conducted with data collected in mixed collection system of Oporto Municipality, Portugal, during one year, a week per month. This analysis provides collection circuits' operational assessment and supports effective short-term municipality collection strategies at the level of, e.g., collection frequency and timetables, and type of containers.
authors.affiliation: CITAB - Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, UTAD, Portugal. Electronic address: cafonso@utad.pt.
authors.forename: Carlos Afonso
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: CM-UTAD, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, UTAD, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: Catarina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Avelino
authors.affiliation: CM-UTAD, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, UTAD, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: Fátima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: C-Made, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, UTAD, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bentes
mesh_terms: D019985:Benchmarking; D011174:Portugal; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D018505:Waste Management / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Municipal Solid Waste; Performance assessment; Performance indicator; Statistical analysis; Waste collection; Waste management