Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 16

APPLICATION OF GEOGRAPHIC

CONTENTS
SYSTEM IN WASTE MANAGEMENT
LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... 1

1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 2

1.1 AIM ....................................................................................................................................... 3

1.2 OBJECTIVES ....................................................................................................................... 3

1.3 METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................ 4

1.4 PERSONNEL .......................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................................... 5

3.0 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ............................................................................................ 8

3.1 WASTE MANAGEMENT AS A SYSTEM ........................................................................ 8

3.2 THE EXISTING SYSTEM'S ANALYSIS ........................................................................... 9

3.3 WHY IS WASTE MANAGEMENT IMPORTANT? ........................................................ 10

3.4 HOW CAN GIS BE INCORPORATED INTO WASTE MANAGEMENT? ................... 11

4.0 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................... 13

REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 14
ABSTRACT

The goal of this study is to use Geo-information Technology to develop a decision-support tool

for solid waste management. Waste management is a global environmental issue that has grown

in importance in today's world. There is a significant amount of waste disposal that is not properly

segregated, causing both economic and environmental problems. There is a tremendous amount of

loss due to direct waste disposal in terms of environmental degradation and health hazards.

Appropriate waste management planning must start with an assessment of the waste situation in

the area. This study shall be looking at the waste management system already in place.

1|Page
1.0 INTRODUCTION

Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) are computer-based systems for collecting, storing,

manipulating, analyzing, and displaying spatial or geographic data. It enables users to explore,

analyze, and grasp data visually and interactively by linking location-based information to specific

locations on a map. GIS may be used to assess and solve complicated geographical problems

including environmental management, urban planning, natural resource management, and

emergency response, to name a few. GIS (geographic information system) is a sophisticated

geographical analysis and decision-making tool that combines technology, software, data, and

people (Lü et al., 2019).

GIS is the computing world's magic term. Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) offer the basis

for gaining a better knowledge of our environment through geographical data (Bonham-Carter,

1994). It is a tool that not only decreases the time and expense of site selection but also provides a

digital data bank for the site's future monitoring program. As a result, the current study's objectives

are to estimate ward-wise per capita solid waste generation and to create a waste generation

distribution map in Coimbatore's metropolitan limits (Shoba and Rasappan, 2013).

There are so many areas in which GIS is applicable, one of which is waste management. Waste is

anything or material that has been abandoned or is no longer useful or essential. It can be produced

in a number of settings, including the household, industrial, commercial, or agricultural sectors.

Trash can be solid, liquid, or gaseous, and it can contain hazardous or nonhazardous materials.

Waste management is critical for environmental and public health protection. This involves

decreasing trash generation, reusing and recycling resources, and appropriately disposing of any

leftover garbage (Jones, 1995).

2|Page
One of the most serious concerns that developing countries must address is solid waste

management in urban areas. The massive volumes of rubbish produced by urban houses endanger

the health of the occupants. As a result of fast population growth and expanding urbanization,

waste generation has increased dramatically in recent decades. Some academicians believe that the

amount of waste produced by a location is directly related to the socioeconomic status of its

population (Singh, 2019).

The amount of waste created has steadily increased as the human population and urbanization have

grown. Waste is generated by manufacturing processes, industries, and municipal solid waste

(MSW). MSW includes waste durable things, waste nondurable products, containers and

packaging, food scraps, yard clippings, and different inorganic wastes generated by residential,

commercial, and industrial sources (Demirbas, 2011).

Waste management is the collection, transportation, processing, recycling, or disposal of waste

items, as well as their monitoring. This system includes residue collection, transportation, pre-

treatment, processing, and final abatement. The goal of waste management is to offer hygienic

living circumstances in order to limit the quantity of matter entering and leaving society and to

stimulate the reuse of matter within society (Demirbas, 2011).

1.1 AIM

The aim of this study is to examine the application of Geographic Information System in waste

management.

1.2 OBJECTIVES

The following are the objectives of the study;

 Examine the waste management

3|Page
 Analyze the existing system

 Analyze how Geographic Information System (GIS) can be incorporated into waste

management

1.3 METHODOLOGY

 Field observation

 Interview

 Questionnaire

 Data analysis

 Database creation

 Mapmaking

4|Page
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

Waste management is a global environmental issue that has become a major issue in today's globe.

Disease transmission, fire dangers, olfactory nuisance, air and water pollution, visual annoyance,

and economic losses are some of the most frequent issues connected with inappropriate solid waste

disposal (Sule, Aliyu and Umar, 2014).

Waste is a broad phrase that encompasses all undesired stuff. Any scrap material, effluent, or

undesired surplus substance or product that needs to be disposed of because it is damaged, worn

out, polluted, or otherwise spoilt is considered waste (Singh, 2019). In Nigeria, the Ministry of

Environment is the legal agency in charge of controlling some forms of garbage, known as

"regulated wastes." Household, industrial, and commercial trash are all examples of this. Other

"non-controlled" wastes (agricultural, mining, and quarries) are not currently regulated in the same

way. Some wastes are classed as 'hazardous,' which is a catch-all phrase for a large variety of

compounds with varying degrees of danger (Demirbas, 2011).

Toxic compounds that might cause cancer, for example, are classified as dangerous. Fluorescent

tubes or cathode ray tubes in televisions are similarly classified as hazardous, posing minimal

immediate danger but potentially causing long-term damage over time. Fluorescent tubes, often

known as cathode ray tubes, are used in TVs (Thompson, Afolayan and Ibidunmoye, 2013).

The environment is at risk as a result of unsustainable trash disposal. It is a sensitive subject that

involves major environmental issues in today's globe. The current condition of direct garbage

disposal without sufficient inspection and separation has a major influence on environmental

contamination, producing a massive increase in health-related disorders. "Domestic, industrial,

and other wastes, whether low or medium-level pollutants, pollute the environment and have

become permanent challenges for society" (Sule, Aliyu and Umar, 2014).

5|Page
GIS analysis is not a replacement for field investigation; nevertheless, it identifies places that are

more suited and focuses efforts on these areas rather than those that are unsuitable or prohibited

by restrictions or constraints. The study's usage of GIS allows for objective zone exclusion based

on a set of screening criteria and effective graphical depiction. A number of potential locations are

found at the end of the studies. These locations often meet the bare minimum of landfill site

standards. "Potential landfill" locations are chosen from among these candidate sites (Khan and

Samadder, 2014).

Urban solid waste management necessitates an effective garbage collection and disposal system,

and DCC collected around 64% of produced wastes using existing bins and containers. From 2002

to 2007, the Composite Index on Effects on Health, which was employed as an indicator for health

and environmental quality, showed an increasing value [1.55 to 1.73], suggesting a continuing

worsening of health and environmental quality. The proposed bin and container relocation was

recommended while taking into account the existing number of bins and containers, utilizing a

modern GIS approach and its accompanying tools to improve 80% garbage collection efficiency.

Local rag pickers were found to gather around 55% of recyclable rubbish. With existing unlawful

dumping locations reduced, about 25 garbage bins and 30 waste containers would be adequate to

reach 80% collection efficiency (Rahman and Rahman, 2010).

Waste management and recycling are not new notions or operations. Solid waste management

issues in today's world are difficult due to the numerous sources, rising amounts, and variable

composition of waste. Solid waste management encompasses a wide range of operations, from

generation to disposal (Dutta and Goel, 2017).

 waste production and separation at the point of generation

 recycling and reuse


6|Page
 Collecting and storage

 Transfer and transport

 Processing and recovery

 Disposal

Dutta and Goel (2017) divided the activities into six functional parts, and the above lists are the

activities involved from the generation of waste to the disposal of it.

The most common use of GIS-supported waste management modeling is in landfill siting and

garbage collection and transport optimization, which are explored in depth in the next section. GIS

technology has also been used successfully for the location of recycling drop-off centers,

optimizing waste management in coastal areas, estimating solid waste generation using local

demographic and socioeconomic data, and forecasting waste generation at the local level (Kumar,

2011).

Research done on solid waste management concerns in Minna using GIS revealed that there are

gaps or inefficiencies on the part of the agency responsible for solid waste management in Niger

State's towns and cities. Solutions to the problems were proferred by recommending the

implementation of sanitation legislation, an enhanced public education campaign on solid waste

management, and the placement of garbage bins in strategic areas. The use of GIS was examined

for the optimal site of transfer stations by merging relevant datasets including satellite imagery,

land use map, and identification of current municipal bin locations (Sule, Aliyu and Umar, 2014).

7|Page
3.0 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

3.1 WASTE MANAGEMENT AS A SYSTEM

The waste management system includes the acts involved in the processing, treatment, disposal or

recycling of waste materials. The waste management system's purpose is to ensure that waste

products are removed from their source and processed, disposed of, or reused in a safe and proper

way. Many developing-country cities strive for contemporary waste management systems with

high rates of recycling of clean, source-separated materials. The waste management system is

divided into four basic components:

 Waste generation (waste production),

 Waste collection (waste collection systems and transportation),

 Waste treatment (waste material conversion into useful items), and

 Final disposal (use of recyclable products or placement of non-recyclable materials in

landfills).

A good disposal place is required to dispose of the vast volumes of solid waste. Sadly, with an

expanding population and increased urbanization, there aren't enough rubbish disposal sites. As a

result, increasing community knowledge and involvement in waste minimization and management

is critical in developing nations (Singh, 2019).

8|Page
Figure 1; Waste management hierarchy.

3.2 THE EXISTING SYSTEM'S ANALYSIS

The conventional waste management system is based on ward officials, and each ward officer is

assigned a group of personnel whose task is to keep the rubbish in the area designated to them.

Environmental health officers examine concerns concerning health problems in the context of

waste management. There are sanitary inspectors in each ward officer group, and each sanitary

inspector is helped by laborers, one assistant, a driver, and revenue collectors, and they are in

charge of garbage collection. The sanitary officer(s), laborers, and tax collector walk over the

region assigned to them, and once a stack of garbage or open dumps is discovered, or a specific

bin is discovered, it will be collected by them (Thompson, Afolayan and Ibidunmoye, 2013).

9|Page
Figure 2: Activities involved in solid waste management

Image Source: (Dutta and Goel, 2017)

3.3 WHY IS WASTE MANAGEMENT IMPORTANT?

Waste-related issues include both time and geographical dimensions. One rationale for regulating

waste treatment and disposal is that trash has significant detrimental effects on society and the

environment. Waste has an impact on public health and the integrity of ecosystems, as well as our

aesthetic sensitivities and economy. So proper waste management is required to control various

types of pollution, such as air, soil, and water pollution, to prevent the spread of communicable

diseases, to conserve all of our environmental resources, including forests, minerals, and water,

and to recycle resources for additional production (Dutta and Goel, 2017).

10 | P a g e
3.4 HOW CAN GIS BE INCORPORATED INTO WASTE MANAGEMENT?

The majority of developing-country towns confront substantial health risks and environmental

deterioration as a result of a poorly constructed waste management system (Singh, 2019). GIS

(Geographic Information System) can serve as a useful tool in waste management. These are some

examples of how GIS might be used in waste management:

 Mapping: Employ geographic information systems (GIS) to map the locations of waste

facilities such as landfills, recycling centers, and transfer stations. This will help you to

identify regions where waste disposal facilities are inadequate and prepare for the building

of additional facilities where necessary. For landfill site selection with the use of GIS,

appropriate landfill sites may be identified by examining several characteristics such as

proximity to residential areas, transportation accessibility, and terrain.

 Route Optimization: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) may be used to optimize

garbage collection routes. This will minimize fuel usage and vehicle pollutants while also

increasing efficiency. Geographic information systems (GIS) may be utilized to optimize

the collection and routing of waste management trucks. It can offer information on where

garbage collection containers are located, the volume of waste collected, and the best routes

for waste collection trucks.

 Analysis: GIS may be used to examine trash creation and disposal data, such as the types

and quantities of garbage produced in various places. This might assist you in identifying

trends and patterns and making educated waste management decisions.

 Public Outreach: GIS may be used to build interactive maps and other visualizations to

help educate the public about waste management concerns such as recycling facility

locations and hazardous waste disposal.

11 | P a g e
 Emergency Response: GIS may be used to build maps that indicate possible hazardous

waste sites and other environmental dangers in the event of an emergency. This can assist

emergency personnel in responding promptly to crises while minimizing environmental

harm.

 Recycling and composting: Geographic information systems (GIS) may be used to map the

location of recycling and composting facilities as well as identify regions that lack these

services. This data can be used to plan the construction of new recycling and composting

facilities.

 Environmental Monitoring: Geographic information systems (GIS) may be used to track

the environmental implications of waste management activities such as landfill operations.

It can offer data on groundwater quality, air quality, and landfill gas migration.

 Public Awareness: Geographic information systems (GIS) may be used to develop maps

and other visual aids to educate the public about waste management challenges. This might

contain information about recycling programs, waste reduction initiatives, and trash

disposal facility locations.

12 | P a g e
4.0 CONCLUSION

Waste production is an everyday occurrence. Its administration should not be difficult provided

the proper procedures are used. The rate at which solid wastes of all types are dumped appears to

constitute a significant risk to public health and the environment in general.

The Waste Management Authority must respond immediately by implementing a suitable

computer-based solution to the waste management difficulties. Overall, implementing GIS into

trash management can assist to increase waste management program efficiency and effectiveness

while also encouraging sustainability and environmental responsibility.

13 | P a g e
REFERENCES

Bonham-Carter, G. (1994) Geographic information systems for geoscientists: modeling with GIS.

1st ed. Oxford ; New York: Pergamon (Computer methods in the geosciences, v. 13).

Demirbas, A. (2011) ‘Waste management, waste resource facilities, and waste conversion

processes’, Energy Conversion and Management, 52(2), pp. 1280–1287. Available at:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2010.09.025.

Dutta, D. and Goel, S. (2017) ‘Applications of Remote Sensing and GIS in Solid Waste

Management – A Review’, in S. Goel (ed.) Advances in Solid and Hazardous Waste Management.

Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 133–151. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-

3-319-57076-1_7.

Jones, W.I. (1995) The World Bank and irrigation. Washington, D.C: World Bank (A World Bank

operations evaluation study).

Khan, D. and Samadder, S.R. (2014) ‘Application of GIS in Landfill Siting for Municipal Solid

Waste’, International Journal of Environmental Research and Development [Preprint]. Available

at: http://www.ripublication.com/ijerd_spl/ijerdv4n1spl_07.pdf.

Kumar, S. (2011) Integrated waste management. 1. Rijeka: InTech.

Lü, G. et al. (2019) ‘Reflections and speculations on the progress in Geographic Information

Systems (GIS): a geographic perspective’, International Journal of Geographical Information

Science, 33(2), pp. 346–367. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13658816.2018.1533136.

14 | P a g e
Rahman, S. and Rahman, Dr.S.H. (2010) ‘APPLICATION OF GIS TECHNIQUES IN URBAN

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN A PART OF DHAKA CITY: MOHAMMADPUR

THANA’, Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection - Strategies for Developing

Nations [Preprint].

Shoba, B. and Rasappan, Dr.K. (2013) ‘Application of GIS in Solid Waste Management for

Coimbatore City’, International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications [Preprint].

Available at:

https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=736a88341a684cad69e9d7f0a

58d9e195e074b80.

Singh, A. (2019) ‘Remote sensing and GIS applications for municipal waste management’,

Journal of Environmental Management, 243, pp. 22–29. Available at:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.05.017.

Sule, J.O., Aliyu, Y.A. and Umar, M.S. (2014) ‘Application of GIS in Solid Waste Management

in Chanchaga Local Government Area of Niger State, Nigeria’, IOSR Journal of Environmental

Science, Toxicology and Food Technology, 8(9), pp. 17–22. Available at:

https://doi.org/10.9790/2402-08921722.

Thompson, A.F., Afolayan, A.H. and Ibidunmoye, E.O. (2013) ‘Application of Geographic

Information System to Solid Waste Management’, in. Pan African International Conference on

Information Science, Computing and Telecommunications.

15 | P a g e

You might also like