Modeling of solid waste collection and transportation in metropolitan areas using WAGS model: implication of CO2 emission and external costs

Annually more than 80% of the overall budget of the uran solid waste management system in Iran is allotted to collection and transportation of the solid wastes. The main objective of the current study is to evaluate the external costs associated with solid waste collection, transfer, and transportation in Tehran for the period of 2018 to 2032 based on the current situation. Waste guidance system as well as Energy and Environment software were applied to anticipate the external costs. Results of the present study indicated that more than 535 million US dollars would be required during the next 15 years in the solid waste collection, transfer, and transportation sector to supply necessary machinery, manpower, fuel, maintenance and other relevant expenses. The principal fraction of the required budget (i.e. 48.99%) should be allocated to provide collection and transportation equipment costs. Manpower, fuel, maintenance, and miscellaneous expenses require 30.34, 7.37, 12.78 and 0.5 percent, respectively of the overall expenses in the solid waste collection, transfer, and transportation sector. In the context of global warming impact, more than 970 million tons of carbon dioxide will be anticipated to be emitted by solid waste collection, transfer, and transportation sector in Tehran during the studied period imposing 23.1 million US dollars to compensate its external effects.