A pre-process clustering methods for the waste collection problem

Practical experience of solid domestic waste (MSW) management in Ukraine and developed countries is analyzed. Theoretical volumes of MSW accumulation taking into account statistical factors are studied. The generalized method of MSW accumulation volumes allows forecasting their formation from the factors and evaluating the morphological composition of MSW in the region. The system for optimizing community waste management at the collection and disposal stage with the quality of the optimality criterion has been proposed. The degree of recycling and the costs of collecting and transporting waste should be taken as a criterion for optimising the urban waste management system at the collection and disposal stage. The quality analysis of the waste management system in the Zhytomyr region made it possible to identify the main problems in municipal waste management and the main reasons for their occurrence. The survey shows that the main problem in the area of waste management is the low efficiency of the existing management system, accompanied by the introduction of outdated and inefficient management methods with the lack of effective interaction of all participants in the waste management process and, above all, the lack of public involvement in solving the problem. The authors concluded that at the present time Zhytomyr city and Zhytomyr Region faced the following problems in the area of solid waste management: the number of spontaneous landfills has increased; the number of modern waste collection bins is insufficient and there are no bins for separate waste collection; the quality of solid waste collection services is inadequate; there is no recycling plant in Zhytomyr; large amount of household waste in the city landfill and absence of monitoring of its impact on the environment.

Environmental and economic feasibility of an integrated community composting plant and organic farm in Malaysia

In order to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gasses (GHG) from landfills, European Union (EU) Landfill Directive 1999/31/EC requires a progressive reduction of the municipal biodegradable waste disposal. The main problem of the waste management system in Latvia is a heavy dependence from the waste disposal at landfills. An insufficient separate waste collection system and a promotion of the landfilling as a major treatment option, leaded to the disposal of 84% of the total collected municipal waste in 2012 with a high share of the biodegradable waste. Therefore, in Latvia, the volume of emissions due to the activities of the waste management branch was 5.23% (632.6 CO2 eq.) of the total GHG emissions produced in the national economy in 2010 (12 097 Gg CO2 eq., except the land use, land-use change and forestry). The aim of this research is to revise the current situation of the management of biodegradable waste in Latvia, and to propose the future activities for the practical improvements dealing with biodegradable waste. The Waste Management Planning System (WAMPS) software has been used as an environmental impact analysis tool for the modelling waste management scenarios. The WAMPS software calculates emissions, energy and turnover of waste streams for processes within the waste management system, e.g., waste collection and transportation, composting, anaerobic digestion, and final disposal – landfilling or incineration. The obtained results are presented in four environmental impact categories: acidification, global warming, eutrophication and photo-oxidant formation, which are characterised by a certain emission. It covers an integrated waste management system starting with the activities where products become waste and have been put into the waste bin at waste generation source to the last point, where the waste becomes either useful material (recycled material, biogas or compost) or becomes part of emissions in the environment after its final disposal at landfill or incineration plant.

Informal waste workers (IWWs) play a vital role in recovery, disposal and recycling of waste materials. This study examines the current solid waste management practices in Nigeria and Nepal, with a particular focus on the roles of IWWs in effective waste management. Through comprehensive secondary literature reviews, including journal databases, books, reports, and websites, this study highlights the inadequate solid waste management systems in both countries, resulting in limited reuse of generated waste. Common challenges related to waste collection, transportation, sorting, processing, and final disposal were identified in Nigeria and Nepal. The important role played by IWWs in waste management activities, such as collection, sorting, recovery, and recycling, is evident. However, the lack of appropriate legislation addressing their involvement serves as a major hindrance. This study also presents key findings on Nigeria’s waste generation, recycling rates, and reliance on the informal sector, as well as Nepal’s municipal solid waste composition, recycling rates, and the significant role played by informal waste workers. The study emphasizes the need for inclusive waste management policies, strengthened waste collection and segregation systems, investment in recycling infrastructure, and enhanced collaboration among government agencies, waste management companies, and informal waste workers. Enforcing existing legislation and providing support to IWWs, including improved working conditions and social protection measures, are essential steps toward improving waste management practices. The study concludes by highlighting the importance of research, innovation, and international cooperation in developing sustainable waste management solutions for Nigeria and Nepal.

The generation of municipal waste is an inherent activity of society that tends to increase mainly due to human activity, uninterrupted population growth and the linear economy model. Biodegradable materials are the major component of municipal waste, yet natural systems are unable to adequately reincorporate them because they are usually mixed with other materials. Another of society's current challenges is to reverse the constant loss of soil fertility, largely due to the lack of edaphic organic matter, which is essential for the correct "functioning" of the soil and the sustainability of agrosystems, as well as the mitigation of climate change by retaining organic C in soils. Given the global problem of municipal waste generation and management, it is considered convenient and necessary to study and improve the management of municipal organic waste in order to reduce the loss of raw materials, protect the soil, ecosystems, people's health and, in turn, regenerate the climate, and the European Union is increasingly tightening the obligations and restrictions imposed by legislation and establishing more ambitious and restrictive objectives in the Waste Management Plans. Furthermore, in Europe, organic waste represents on average 46% of total municipal waste and, according to the European Composting Network, only 20-60% of total municipal organic waste is collected and treated separately. Evidently, this is a waste fraction with a wide margin of possible improvement where there is a great variety and diversity of successful management models, but not a single option that adapts to all situations. Therefore, an individualized study of each situation is necessary in order to establish an optimal and efficient management. This work, focused on the territorial scope of the Autonomous Community of Euskadi, analyzes the key aspects of municipal organic waste management in order to establish a suitable basis for the design of the most appropriate models for waste management in each area. To this end, after analyzing the regulatory and strategic reference framework and conceptualizing the concept of municipal waste, the current situation and the results of its management are presented, focusing on the different alternatives implemented in the territory. Subsequently, the influence of the selective municipal waste collection systems on the quantity and quality of the recoverable household waste fractions is analyzed by checking the effect of the different municipal waste collection systems on the quantity and composition of the waste. Next, the typology and status of the community composting areas installed in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country are determined, identifying the factors that affect whether a community composting facility is successful or not. Finally, commercial compost on an industrial scale and compost for self-consumption produced in community composting facilities are evaluated, making a comparison between them. From the results obtained from the first study, it is concluded that implementing a control in the waste input and collection systems, as well as identifying the user, improve the quality results of the different fractions and, simultaneously, reduce the amount of waste diverted to landfill. In turn, it is verified that the training of technical personnel is a key factor in achieving success when implementing a municipal organic waste management system based on community composting. Finally, it has been demonstrated that the compost obtained from the community composting process presented a higher quality than commercial compost. However, in order to support and enhance its dissemination, it would be interesting to address in future studies also social, demographic, political, economic and environmental aspects associated with these practices.

Waste management inefficiencies contribute to environmental pollution and health hazards. This project proposes a Smart Waste Monitoring and Collection Optimization System using simulated sensor data to enhance waste collection efficiency. The system employs machine learning algorithms and geospatial analysis to optimize collection schedules dynamically. Unlike traditional fixed schedules, this approach analyzes waste accumulation patterns to improve decision-making. By simulating sensor data, the system provides a cost-effective and scalable alternative to hardware-based solutions. Utilizing IoT-inspired simulated sensors, the system mimics real-world waste bin conditions, providing insights into waste generation patterns, collection frequency, and route optimization. This software-based solution ensures adaptability without the need for physical sensors, making it cost-effective and scalable. The study evaluates existing smart waste management systems, identifies key challenges in data-driven waste collection, and implements a functional prototype that demonstrates how simulated real-time data can improve decision-making for waste management authorities. Ultimately, the project aims to contribute to sustainable urban planning and public health improvement by reducing inefficiencies in waste collection operations.

As rapid urbanization continues to take place, with a projected 68% of the world’s population expected to live in cities by 2050 according to the UN, waste management in proximity to human settlements poses problematic. Although waste generation and failure of its management is seen as a huge problem in developing cities, wealthier cities generate more waste than less affluent cities, and thus waste management is a crucial issue in developed as well as developing cities for obvious ecological reasons and for sustainability. However, while collection of waste by high GDP cities is more frequent than collection in low GDP cities, it does not imply that the issue of waste management has been resolved. A significant portion of the world still dumps its waste in landfills. Furthermore, it is projected that by 2025, lower middle-income groups will produce the most amounts of waste, while high-income groups are expected to generate the second largest amount of waste. Accordingly, it is important to understand methods of collection and disposal of solid waste carried out by cites varying in GDP and HDI to combat the issue of waste management through landfills for the purpose of creating a sustainable future. This paper is a study of existing waste management methods implemented by the governing bodies of selected cities and progress towards future policies that these governing bodies have laid out. Comparisons of existing problems faced by each city, collection methods and coverage, recycle coverage and rates, unique waste management approaches, and plans to tackle waste are carried out. The analysis can thus serve as a reference for emerging cities lacking resources that can adapt strategies described, as well as for established cities that can easily adopt certain measures to safeguard their respective ecologies and take steps towards sustainability.

The waste management system in the city of Čačak was analyzed, from the primary selection of waste at the place of its origin, until its disposal at the regional sanitary landfill "Duboko" in Užice. A review of the planning documents brought for the area of the city of Čačak revealed problems in waste management (waste collection, primary separation, transport). Inadequate waste management and its disposal without any treatment is a growing environmental problem of local governments. Although waste management in Serbia is regionalized, this does not mean that local self-government units have lost their competence in this area. The purpose of the paper is to recognize and present its greatest weaknesses through the analysis of the integrated waste management system, as well as to offer possible solutions to the given problems.

This study aims to identify and analyze waste management in Masnana Village, Namrole District, South Buru Regency. The main focus of the research is the behavior of the community in managing waste and the stages of waste management from generation to final disposal. Data were collected through observation, interviews, questionnaires, and documentation. The results show that the main sources of waste in Masnana Village come from households, restaurants, schools, and lodging, as well as natural factors and human activities. Waste generation is measured by weight and volume per person per day, with an average waste weight of 0.35 kg and volume of 25 liters per person per day. The types of waste produced are divided into organic and inorganic waste, with the majority of organic waste still being burned (73.33%) and most inorganic waste also being burned (66.66%). On-site waste management involves the reuse of paint cans and beverage bottles. Waste collection is carried out to temporary disposal sites using a sorting bin system. Organic waste processing is carried out through composting, although many residents still prefer burning. Electronic waste is managed by selling, repairing, or burying it. Final disposal is handled by the Public Works Department to the Piyungan landfill. This study highlights the importance of community participation in waste management to reduce environmental impact and extend landfill life

A review of clustering techniques for waste management

Capacitated arc routing problem (CARP) is the youngest generation of graph theory that focuses on solving the edge/arc routing for optimality. Since many years, operational research devoted to CARP counterpart, known as vehicle routing problem (VRP), which does not fit to several real cases such like waste collection problem and road maintenance. In this paper, we highlighted several extensions of capacitated arc routing problem (CARP) that represents the real-life problem of vehicle operation in waste collection. By purpose, CARP is designed to find a set of routes for vehicles that satisfies all pre-setting constraints in such that all vehicles must start and end at a depot, service a set of demands on edges (or arcs) exactly once without exceeding the capacity, thus the total fleet cost is minimized. We also addressed the differentiation between CARP and VRP in waste collection. Several issues have been discussed including stochastic demands and time window problems in order to show the complexity and importance of CARP in the related industry. A mathematical model of CARP and its new version is presented by considering several factors such like delivery cost, lateness penalty and delivery time.

Rapid urbanization in developing countries has led to an exponential rise in waste generation, posing significant challenges to waste management systems. Lagos, Nigeria, is a prime example of a megacity grappling with inefficient waste collection and disposal systems. With an estimated daily waste output of 13,000 tonnes, Lagos has struggled to keep pace with its expanding population and waste generation. Inefficiencies in waste management, compounded by infrastructural deficits, traffic congestion, and ineffective policy enforcement, exacerbate environmental and public health crises in the city. This thesis investigates the movement of waste in Lagos, focusing on optimizing waste collection through the strategic use of transfer stations, a method proven to enhance efficiency in urban waste management. The research has two primary aims: (1) to understand the dynamics of waste movement through an eight-month data collection survey at six landfill sites in Lagos, and (2) to explore the potential for optimizing waste collection infrastructure using a modelling approach with transfer stations. The study examines the role of transfer stations in reducing vehicle mileage, while improving the overall efficiency of waste collection in densely populated cities. The research addresses five key objectives: reviewing the existing literature on waste quantities and infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa, acquiring and analysing data from Lagos, developing a model for predicting vehicle mileage, simulating the impact of transfer stations, and outlining the benefits of transfer stations in highly urbanized African cities. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative analysis of landfill data with advanced modelling techniques. Data from six major landfill sites—Olusosun, Solous, Abule Egba, Epe, Igando, and Ikorodu—were gathered over eight months, assessing vehicle movements, landfill accessibility, and private sector participation. The study found that, on average, 170 vehicles per day transported waste to each landfill. The total vehicle mileage across all sites averaged 3,200 km per day, with vehicles spending up to 60% of the total route time stuck in traffic due to inefficient routing and heavy congestion. Using geo-location technologies and Visual Basic Applications (VBA) programming, a model was developed to simulate waste collection routes and optimize vehicle usage. The findings indicate that the introduction of transfer stations along strategic routes can reduce total travel times by up to 42.6% equating to an annual travel distance reduction of 363,283 km. This reduction leads to significant environmental benefits, including the prevention of 653.9 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually, in addition to cost savings from reduced fuel consumption and vehicle maintenance. Moreover, the simulation demonstrated a cost-saving potential, mainly due to the reduction in fuel and maintenance costs. This includes reducing the number of trips from densely populated areas such as Lagos Island, where heavy traffic leads to inefficiencies. The use of transfer stations also improved operational efficiency by redistributing waste loads, ensuring smaller vehicles made shorter trips to the stations while larger trucks completed the long hauls to landfills. The study highlights several key findings: (1) inefficiencies in the current waste collection system due to unco-ordinated routing and high collection costs, (2) operational improvements through the use of transfer stations, leading to reduced traffic congestion, and (3) the need for better integration of formal and informal waste collection systems to enhance public health and sustainability. The thesis contributes to the existing body of knowledge on waste management in developing cities, particularly in the Sub-Saharan African context. It emphasizes the importance of integrating modern technological solutions, such as modelling, to improve waste management efficiency. The research concludes that the adoption of transfer stations and route optimization techniques presents a viable solution to the growing waste management crisis in Lagos, offering a model that can be adapted for other rapidly urbanizing cities in Africa. Future research should explore the integration of smart technologies in waste collection, and the role of public awareness campaigns in reducing waste generation. The findings underscore the potential for cities like Lagos to significantly enhance waste management systems through targeted infrastructure improvements and policy reforms.

Increasing urbanization and rising consumption rates are putting pressure on urban systems to efficiently manage Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). Waste collection, in particular, is one of the most challenging aspects of MSW management. Therefore, developing computer-aided tools to support decision-makers is crucial. In this paper, a Scatter Search algorithm is proposed to address the waste collection problem. The literature is relatively scarce in applying this algorithm, which has proven to be efficient in other routing problems, to real waste management problems. Results from real-world instances of an Argentine city demonstrate that the algorithm is competitive, obtaining, in the case of small instances, the same outcomes as those of an exact solver enhanced by valid inequalities, although requiring more computational time (as expected), and significantly improving the results of the latter for the case of larger instances, now requiring much less computational time. Thus, Scatter Search proves to be a competitive algorithm for addressing waste collection problems.

This article examines waste management and recycling as an element of reverse logistics in a circular economy. The concept of circular economy can be found very often in scientific and social environment. The aim of the article is to analyze the trends of waste management and recycling as a reverse logistics element in the conditions of circular economy in Europe and Lithuania. To achieve the goal were done: an analysis of theoretical sources to reveal the essence and connections of reverse logistics and circular economy, analysis of LR and EU legislation, development strategies of the environmental protection and waste management sector, analysis of EUROSTAT statistical data, monitoring, situation assessment and questionnaire survey. The main goals of the circular economy model are less raw materials, less waste, less emissions, managing such elements as raw materials, sustainable design, production, distribution, consumption, reuse, repair, collection, waste management, and residual waste. Direct logistics processes and reverse logistics play really important role in this concept. Logistics examines the movement of material, financial and information flows from the source of raw materials to the end user, reverse logistics examines the same flows, only in the opposite direction. Reuse, repair, collection, waste management are on responsibility of reverse logistics. For this reason, waste management in the terms of a circular economy cannot be seen only as the responsibility of the government and the end user (the resident sorting the waste). All participants in the supply chain, who were interested in bringing the material flow to the end user, and who created added value in the supply chain, according to the "polluter pays" principle, should take responsibility for the waste generated in the country, waste management and sorting, recycling. Because, for example, prevention of waste generation is a priority, and the cheapest solution is to avoid waste management and recycling. Thus, all participants in the supply chain must be interested and cooperate in the implementation of the circular economy. The general trends in the collection of the main sorted waste in Europe and Lithuania are not unambiguous, since waste management is regulated by different local laws of the countries. A general increase in the amount of sorted and collected waste is recorded, but not all countries demonstrate an increase, this may be related to the elements of the circular economy that have already been implemented, public awareness, declining consumerism, the economic situation in the country and other factors that lead to a generally more responsible approach to ecological aspects. EU newcomer countries are characterized by large increase in waste collection, regardless of waste types. Consumer opinion is quite favorable to the implementation of circular economy principles, but the main idea is that most of the responsibility for waste collection and management must be transferred to commercial participants in the supply chain.

A smart city is a vision to adopt multiple information and communication technology (ICT) solutions in the management of public affairs. Waste management problem is acute in the cities and urban areas now a days. Number of trucks roaming around, collecting waste at any time, excessive manpower requirement and inefficient monitoring are some of the difficulties we face with the conventional waste collection approach. The purpose of our work is to introduce a smart and intelligent waste management system that is able to handle the process dynamically and cost effectively. In our approach weight and volume of waste thrown in the waste bins are collected by economical sensors and then sent to cloud server using a micro-controller and GPRS. This data is used to find the waste collection schedule to maximize the collection. Location of vehicles and waste bins are used to find the shortest possible collection route for each truck which is implemented by Ant Colony Optimization(ACO) technique. The system is adaptable to dynamic changes i.e. routes blocked during waste collection process. The whole process can be monitored centrally and thus provide a high quality service to the citizens of a smart city.