title: A system dynamics model to evaluate effects of source separation of municipal solid waste management: A case of Bangkok, Thailand.
abstract: Municipal solid waste has been considered as one of the most immediate and serious problems confronting urban government in most developing and transitional economies. Providing solid waste performance highly depends on the effectiveness of waste collection and transportation process. Generally, this process involves a large amount of expenditures and has very complex and dynamic operational problems. Source separation has a major impact on effectiveness of waste management system as it causes significant changes in quantity and quality of waste reaching final disposal. To evaluate the impact of effective source separation on waste collection and transportation, this study adopts a decision support tool to comprehend cause-and-effect interactions of different variables in waste management system. A system dynamics model that envisages the relationships of source separation and effectiveness of waste management in Bangkok, Thailand is presented. Influential factors that affect waste separation attitudes are addressed; and the result of change in perception on waste separation is explained. The impacts of different separation rates on effectiveness of provided collection service are compared in six scenarios. 'Scenario 5' gives the most promising opportunities as 40% of residents are willing to conduct organic and recyclable waste separation. The results show that better service of waste collection and transportation, less monthly expense, extended landfill life, and satisfactory efficiency of the provided service at 60.48% will be achieved at the end of the simulation period. Implications of how to get public involved and conducted source separation are proposed.
authors.affiliation: School of Management Technology, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat University, Bangkadi Campus, 131 M. 5, Tiwanont Road, Bangkadi, Muang, Pathum Thani 12000, Thailand. Electronic address: psnunu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Pitchayanin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sukholthaman
authors.affiliation: School of Bio-Chemical Engineering and Technology, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Thammasat Rangsit Post Office, P.O. Box 22, Pathum Thani 12121, Thailand. Electronic address: alice@siit.tu.ac.th.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharp
mesh_terms: D008962:Models, Theoretical; D062611:Solid Waste / Q000145:classification* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013785:Thailand; D014186:Transportation; D064091:Waste Disposal Facilities; D018505:Waste Management / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D062611:Solid Waste
keywords: Municipal solid waste management; Organic waste; Recyclable waste; Source separation; System dynamics model; Waste collection and transportation