Evaluation of minimum cost and greenhouse gas emissions from municipal solid waste processing and disposal centers using NSGA II algorithm

Assessment of the stability of an integrated solid waste management system (ISWMS) necessitates analysis of effective criteria. The present study was therefore designed to provide a simple mathematical model to optimize ISWMS aiming at minimizing the cost and emission of greenhouse gases )GHG).
In order to make use of data recorded during September to October (2014- 2015), it was necessary to make arrangements well in advance with the directors of Waste Management in Tehran. The proposed model was applied and consequently analyzed for allocation of eleven MSW components (including: paper, cardboard, plastic, nylon, metal, glass, PET, wet waste, bread, mixed recyclables and other wastes) into three sub-systems of MSW management (i.e., processing and separation, anaerobic digestion and land filling) at Abali processing and disposal center using NSGA II algorithm.
The results of this study indicate that the costs and emissions of GHG would be significantly reduced by increased separation rate in a municipal ISWMS. Furthermore, the identified optimum condition was 100 percent separation and processing with 486 USD (revenue) and 2438 Kg reduced CO2 (avoided emissions) representing a substantial improvement in the ascending trend rate of disposal separation.
It seems necessary to increase daily waste entrance into Abali complex and complement the proposed system with other sub-systems concerning economic and environmental issues in order to enhance the technical feasibility of establishing such a system. On the other hand, given that transport and landfill sub-systems don’t have any positive economic and environmental issues, the flow and rate of waste allocation to these sub-systems should be followed in a carefully planned and exact way.