KKKS6414

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

MINI PAPER REVIEW - METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE

COLLECTION ROUTES USING SMART SYSTEM

Prepared for

Dr Irfana Kabir Ahmad

Prepared by

Siti Hasmah Hj Ikhsan

P108431
Mini Paper Review: Method for optimizing municipal solid waste collection routes using
smart system

1.0 Introduction

One of the major challenges faced by developing countries is municipal solid waste management
due to its direct impacts on the environment and public health. rapid population growth and
urbanization led to ever-increasing waste generation, and causes more challenging waste
management processes, particularly the collection system. Determining the optimal MSW routing
is an international challenge that crosses cultural and economic boundaries including countries
from lower to higher income groups. There are many methods of MSW collection. Sophistication
of waste picking method influences overall collection efficiency. The conventional approach for
waste collection constitutes a fleet of trucks collecting/ transferring waste from
individual/communal waste bins to treatment/disposal facilities. This is a very costly process that
accounts for more than 60% of total waste management expenditures due to wages, fuel
consumption, maintenance, and depreciation.
Moreover, the long-haul distances covered by collection trucks lead to ongoing
environmental issues including air pollution emissions and traffic congestions. Furthermore, the
temporal (seasonal) variation of waste generation rates results in lower efficiencies of the
traditional collection routes, which are typically pre-defined regardless of the actual fill-level of
waste bins. This results in frequently serving waste bins that are only partially full at the time of
collection (Ramos et al., 2018; Mohamed et al., 2019)
The use of route optimizing software can help to reduce planning time, increase the
accuracy of predicted arrival times and improve waste generator and collector communication.
There are some existing transportation planning models such as ‘MyRouteOnline’ software and
Route View ProTM software which exclusively deal with routing decisions. Moreover, other types
of routing decisions in the field of MSW management can be found addressing the application of
Geographic Positioning System (GPS) in vehicles.
 Table 1: Literature study of the optimizing method.

Source: https://downloads.hindawi.com/journals/jat/2021/9994853.pdf

According to Apaydin and Gonullu (2006), in solid waste management system, collection
of solid waste is the most important process for total disposal costs. In order to decrease total solid
waste disposal costs, it is necessary to performed route optimization on current solid waste
collection paths. Routing the waste collection vehicles and their allocation and considering the
various types of waste are the main challenges that municipalities usually face in planning for
municipal waste collection. Smart waste management is characterized by the usage of technology
in order to be more efficient when it comes to managing waste. This makes it possible to plan more
efficient routes for the trash collectors who empty the bins, but also lowers the chance of any bin
being full for over a week. Pay-as-you-throw systems become more feasible using digital
identification and billing techniques. These systems allow for a ‘fair’ billing scheme by allocating
costs proportional to the amount of waste generated. It has been shown, however, that such
schemes can have negative effects through attempts to avoid paying, such as increased illegal
littering, use of public bins and ‘waste tourism’ to neighbouring regions with traditional billing
schemes (Kinnaman, 2009; EEA, 2021).

2.0 Methodology

This mini review is conducted via online sources through paper review, journal and case study.
Platform used is Elsevier, Research gate, google platform, and Science Direct. The keyword used
in the search are Rout optimization method, Route modelling, and Route Optimization for solid
waste collection.

3.0 Discussion

There are many methods could be found prior to identified the optimum route for waste
management which enable to provide effective collection and reduce operating cost as written in
introduction chapter. Classification of algorithms with comparison and related works in
transportation optimization problems could be identified by static and dynamic network. Static
network is a traditional software that solves the shortest path in a static network generally
calculates all-to-all the shortest paths for all nodes and answers all the shortest path questions based
on these. While dynamic network is also known as intelligent/Soft computing. It has attracted
significant attention in the last decade in the areas of transportation systems such as advanced
traffic management systems (ATMs) and advanced traveler information systems (ATIS),
telecommunication and computer science as well as emergency planning (Mahir & Arif, 2021)
Studied in route optimization issues and initiatives in Bangladesh by Mahir & Arif (2021)
has found the transportation system is mainly a dynamic situation. So, static analysis not always
able to give the desired optimal path. This is because many parameters vary dynamically and
require policy-based decision-making. According to the researcher, in the Bangladesh route
optimization can be so effectively done using Fuzzy logic and other AI-based algorithms.
Studied by Apaydin and Gonullu on route optimization for solid waste collection at
Trabzon (Turkey) has been conducted in year 2006. The method to analyze solid waste
collection/hauling process is conducted by using Sony DCR-TRV145E video camera. Data about
road net, demographics and solid waste production has been taken into consideration in this study.
In addition, data related in present spending, truck type and capacity, solid waste production,
number of inhabitants and Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver data for each route were
collected and all the data were analyzed with each other in GIS system. Optimization tool was used
The Route View ProTM software integrated with GIS elements such as numerical pathways,
demographic distribution, container distribution and solid waste production. Routes optimized by
using the software were compared with present routes found the time and distance have been
decreased by 4-59 % and 14-65 % for both distance and time respectively.

Table 1: Optimizing method by using integrated software and GIS system

Software Data used Optimized Optimized Benefit in
route Route total
Distance time (%) expenditure
(%) (%)
- The Route View ProTM - solid waste 24.7 44.3 24.7
software integrated with collection/hauling
GIS element process
- numerical pathways,
demographic
distribution, container
distribution and solid
waste production

Mehdi and Amir, (2021) had studied the optimization Model for Integrated Municipal Solid
Waste System Using Stochastic Chance-Constraint Programming under Uncertainty in Qazvin,
Iran. the purpose of this study are first, to increase the efficiency of the waste collection system,
Secondly, to minimize the location and construction costs of required facilities for municipal waste
processing, thirdly, minimize the required number of vehicles, total transportation costs between
facilities, and operating costs of the facility and finally, to minimize environmental pollution,
specifically greenhouse gas emissions which are generated by various facilities and transportation
systems. Stochastic programming model was used to control uncertainty in this study. Results from
the study had showed increasing confidence level causes to decrease in the total cost and emission
amount. Moreover, it has found that significant savings in the total cost and total pollution emission
achieved via this method at 5.13% decrease in the total cost and 6.20% decrease in the total
pollution emission.
However, this method is not the ultimate method in optimizing solid waste collection route.
As the population is increased, the generation of solid waste also increase, revision of this method
is necessary. Furthermore, technologies are evolved through centuries and advanced technology
may be more convenience and useful to identify the optimum method to suit with current situation.
The uptake of digitalization technologies across society is largely a result of continuing advances
in miniaturization, increased processing power and falling costs. Waste management is no
exception, and it is also benefiting from improving digital technologies (EEA, 2021).
Al Mamun et al. (2016) developed an intelligent sensing algorithm for a municipal waste
bin monitoring system in Malaysia. Field tests were conducted using customized waste bins
equipped with multiple sensors for level, temperature, and motion. A gateway received the data
sent by a ZigBee-PRO transceiver and saved it in the database. The results showed that the
designed prototype could achieve an optimum collection route that reduced carbon emissions by
up to 10%.
Gutierrez et al. (2015) in Denmark was based on a sensing prototype that measures the
waste level of waste bins and transmits the data over the Internet to a server for storage and
processing in order to optimize collection routes. The experimentation covered a period of one
month based on typical and dynamic scenarios. The waste level was measured from the top of the
waste bin to the waste level by an ultrasonic ranging module. An Arduino Uno controller
transmitted the received data to a Wi-Fi-based network. Route-optimization algorithms such as
Shortest Path Spanning Tree and Genetic Algorithms were used to obtain the optimum collection
route. Unlike traditional collection strategies, intelligent methods were found to cover the capital
and maintenance costs in as low as two years (Gutierrez et al., 2015)
Studied by Banyai et al., (2019) based on cyber-physical system while using Industry 4.0
technologies, smart technologies has been used in order to increase the performance, flexibility,
availability, and cost efficiency of the collection processes. In the study, it has found that the
industrial environment, can use the smart technology in solid waste management system. The
containers can be equipped with level sensors and wireless communication equipment. The waste
collection service provider has access to real-time information on the status of each container and
the collection routes can be scheduled depending on the waste level of containers. This will reduce
the inefficient trip of collecting empty or half-filled container. The illustration of the smart
technology as figure 1 below.

Figure 1: Smart technology RFID used in waste collection and route optimization

Nowadays, the remote monitoring of smart bins can be implemented either as real-time
monitoring via Wi-Fi connection or as delayed off-line monitoring, where the collected data is
transmitted through RFID readers. This digitalization also enables the development of advanced
‘know-as-you-throw’ schemes. In these schemes, radio-frequency identification (RFID) being
used by waste management operators to monitor waste fractions at household level. The data
collected from smart bin is uploaded to the cloud storage. The other side of this inverse supply
chain can include different waste management methods, like dumping, landfilling, composting,
recycling, and incineration. By using RFID, the operator able to determine the quantity and quality
of separation, then the information is automatically fed back to the individual or company who
generated the waste. In addition, it can help nudge consumers towards better waste management
practices, intersecting with waste prevention programs.

Figure 2: Use of digital technologies in waste management

Source: European Environment Agency

4.0 Conclusion

Route optimization is a process to find the most effective solutions for problems such as long
driving hours, complicated routes, and excessive fuel consumption faced by people and service
providers. To find an optimum route, several factors must consider in calculation. Digitalization
offers opportunities to reduce these costs and create better employment opportunities in higher
value parts of the business chain. In addition to digitalization for waste management, it also can
increase the environmental trade-offs through achieve circular economy goals across the waste
management cycle, from the material sourcing, production and use phases through to the reuse of
resources. Supporting digital technologies can involve substantial energy requirements. Other than
that, is the material use required to produce the infrastructure, computing machines, the sorting
robots and other elements. Lastly, all infrastructure has a lifespan after which it becomes waste
itself. However, the preliminary lifecycle analysis already indicate that the environmental benefits
can outweigh such trade-offs by a large margin. Various method of route optimizing is being
studied, however which method is the efficient is depends on the area to be collected. Much factor
to be considered prior to applied the suitable method.
References

1. Framework for Route Optimization of Solid Waste Collection. Available from:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331663393 [accessed June 27, 2022]

2. O. Apaydin and M. T. Gonullu, (2006). Route Optimization for Solid Waste Collection:
Trabzon (Turkey) Case Study. Yildiz Technical University Environmental Engineering
Department 34349 Besiktas, Istanbul, Turkey.
https://journal.gnest.org/sites/default/files/Journal%20Papers/6-11_APAYDIN_388_9-1.pdf
[accessed June 23, 2022]

3. Mehdi Bavaghar Zaeimi and Amir Abbas Rassaf (2021). Optimization Model for Integrated
Municipal Solid Waste System Using Stochastic Chance-Constraint Programming under
Uncertainty: A Case Study in Qazvin, Iran. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/9994853.
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jat/2021/9994853/tab1/ [accessed June 20, 2022]

4. Mohamed Abdallah, Mohamad Adghim, Munjed Maraqa and Elkhalifa Aldahab (2019).
Simulation and optimization of dynamic waste collection routes.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0734242X19833152 [accessed July 1, 2022]

5. William salter. Transportation Challenges That Route Optimization Software Can Help You
Overcome. https://www.paragonrouting.com/en-us/blog/post/4-transportation-challenges-route-
optimization-software-can-help-you-overcome/
6. Mahir Shahrier and Arif Hasnat (2021). Route optimization issues and initiatives in Bangladesh:
The context of regional significance.
https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S2666691X21000105 [accessed July 5, 2022]