Towards Sustainable Management of Wastes: Results of a Modelling Case Study, and the Emerging Environmental Decision Support System Based on the Energy Footprint

Here we present an emerging EDSS, based on the energy and materials flow model forevaluation of alternatives for processing domestic and commercial waste. The input information for themodel is obtained through a literature search, consultations with stakeholders, and also using aspecially designed expert system (ES) - The ‘Smart Waste Questionnaire’. The ES implements an ITbasedinterrogative data acquisition methodology built using a custom-designed expert system softwareand integrated databases. In this paper we present the results of an ongoing case study of the model’sapplication to the management of specific waste types in the area of Southampton (England, UK). Themodel has been designed in Microsoft Excel and Visual Basic, which were chosen due to their userfriendlyinterface and common availability. In the model calculations, the input data on material flows,waste quantities and mass balances are combined with information on the energy requirements fordifferent types of collection and processing systems for re-use, recovery, recycling and disposal, and onthe energy benefits (e.g. production of heat by incineration or gas by anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis,etc.) of these options. The output shows the energy balance of the current practice, and also allows acomparison with a number of alternative scenarios. The results are directly applicable only for thestudy area. However, following certain modifications the methodology used may be easily appliedelsewhere. Examples of the collected data and model simulations are given, problems with datacollection and availability outlined, and limitations and implications of the study discussed.