Over the past two decades, the waste reduction problem has been a major issue in environmental protection. Both recycling and waste reduction policies have become increasingly important. As the complexity of decision-making has increased, it has become evident that more factors must be considered in the development and implementation of policies aimed at resource recycling and waste reduction. There are many studies focused on waste management excluding waste reduction. This study paid more attention to waste reduction. Social, economic, and management aspects of waste treatment policies were considered in this study. Further, a life-cycle assessment model was applied as an evaluation system for the environmental aspect. Results of both quantitative and qualitative analyses on the social, economic, and management aspects were integrated via the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method into the comprehensive decision-making support system of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM). A case study evaluating the waste reduction policy in Taoyuan County is presented to demonstrate the feasibility of this model. In the case study, reinforcement of MSW sorting was shown to be the best practice. The model in this study can be applied to other cities faced with the waste reduction problems.
Alidi, A.S. ( 1996) A multiobjective optimization model for the waste management of the petrochemical industry. Applied Mathematical Modelling , 20, 925-933.
2.
Barton, J.R., Dalley, D. & Patel, V.S. ( 1996) Life cycle assessment for waste management. Waste Management, 16, 35-50.
3.
Brans, J.P. & Vincke, P.H. ( 1985) A preference ranking organization method - (the Promethee method for multiple criteria decision-making). Management Science, 31, 647-656.
4.
Chang, C.T. & Hwang, J.R. ( 1996) A multiobjective programming approach to waste minimization in the utility systems of chemical processes. Chemical Engineering Science, 51, 3951-3965.
5.
Chang, N.B. & Wang, S.F. ( 1996) Solid waste management system analysis by multiobjective mixed integer programming model. Journal of Environmental Management, 48, 17-43.
6.
Chang, N.B. & Wei, Y.L. ( 1999) Strategic planning of recycling drop-off stations and collection network by multiobjective programming. Environmental Management, 24, 247-263.
7.
Cheng, S., Chan, C.W. & Huang, G.H. ( 2003) An integrated multi-criteria decision analysis and inexact mixed integer linear programming approach for solid waste management . Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 16, 543-554.
8.
Chiou, H.K. & Tzeng, G.H. ( 2002) Fuzzy multiple-criteria decision-making approach for industrial green engineering. Environmental Management , 30, 816-830.
9.
Eriksson, O., Frostell, B., Bjorklund, A., Assefa, G., Sundqvist, J.O., Granath, J., Carlsson, M., Baky, A. & Thyselius, L. ( 2002) ORWARE - a simulation tool for waste management . Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 36, 287-307.
10.
Finnveden, G., Bjorklund, A. & Moberg, A. ( 2007) Environmental and economic assessment methods for waste management decision-support: possibilities and limitations. Waste Management & Research, 25, 263-269.
11.
Geldermann, J., Spengler, T. & Rentz, O. ( 2000) Fuzzy outranking for environmental assessment. Case study: iron and steel making industry. Fuzzy Sets and Systems, 115, 45-65.
12.
Haastrup, P., Maniezzo, V., Mattarelli, M., Mazzeo Rinaldi, F., Mendes, I. & Paruccini, M. ( 1998) A decision support system for urban waste management . European Journal of Operational Research, 109, 330-341.
13.
Helms, B.P. & Clark, R.M. ( 1971) Locational models for solid waste management. Journal of the Urban Planning & Development Division-ASCE, 97, 1-13.
14.
Hwang, C.L. & Yoon, K. ( 1981) Multiple Attribute Decision Making: Methods and Applications . Springer-Verlag. Berlin.
15.
Jolliet O., Muller-Wenk R., Bare J., Brent A., Goedkoop M., Heijungs R., Itsubo N., Pena C., Pennington D., Potting J., Rebitzer G., Stew-art M., de Haes H.U. & Weidema B. ( 2004) The LCIA midpoint-damage framework of the UNEP/SETAC life cycle initiative. International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment , 9, 394-404.
16.
Luoranen, M. & Horttanainen, M. ( 2007) Feasibility of energy recovery from municipal solid waste in an integrated municipal energy supply and waste management system . Waste Management & Research, 25, 426-439.
17.
Ma, H.W., Chao, C.W., Hung, M.L., Lo, S.C. & Pong, W.C. ( 2007) Developing a Life Cycle Assessment Model for Taiwan . Waste Management Technical Report. Taiwan.
18.
Maddalena, R.L., McKone, T.E., Layton, D.W., Hsieh, D.P.H. ( 1995) Comparison of Multimedia Transport and Transformation Models - Regional Fugacity Model vs CalTOX. Chemosphere, 30, 869-889.
19.
McKone, T.E. ( 1993) CalTOX, A Multimedia Total Exposure Model for Hazardous-waste Sites. Report UCRL-CR-111456PtI-IV. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA.
20.
Ministry of the Environmental and Water Resources Singapore (2008) Key Environmental Statistics2008.
21.
Miranda, M.L. & Aldy, J.E. ( 1998) Unit pricing of residential municipal solid waste Lessons from nine case study communities. Journal of Environmental Management, 52, 79-93
22.
Morrissey, A.J. & Browne, J. ( 2004) Waste management models and their application to sustainable waste management. Waste Management, 24, 297-308.
23.
Onut, S. & Soner, S. ( 2008) Transshipment site selection using the AHP and TOPSIS approaches under fuzzy environment. Waste Management , 28, 1552-1559.
24.
Oecd (2007) Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development: OECD Environmental Data Compendium . OECD, Paris, France.
25.
Powell, J. ( 2000) The potential for using life cycle inventory analysis in local authority waste management decision making. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 43, 351-367.
26.
Powell, J.C., Craighill, A.L., Parfitt, J.P. & Turner, R.K. ( 1996) A lifecycle assessment and economic valuation of recycling . Journal of Environmental Planning and Management , 39, 97-112.
27.
Rao, R.V. ( 2008) Evaluation of environmentally conscious manufacturing programs using multiple attribute decision-making methods. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechantcal Engineers Part B - Journal of Engineering Manufacture, 222, 441-451.
28.
Roy, B. ( 1991) The outranking approach and the foundations of ELEC-TRE methods. Theory and Decision, 31, 49-73.
29.
Saaty, T.L. ( 1980) The Analytic Hierarchy Process: Planning, Priority Setting, Resource Allocation. McGraw-Hill, New York, USA.
Tran, L.T., Knight, C.G., O’Neill, R.V., Smith, E.R., Riitters, K.H. & Wickham, J. ( 2002) Fuzzy decision analysis for integrated environmental vulnerability assessment of the Mid-Atlantic region. Environmental Management , 29, 845-859.
35.
Truitt, M., Liebnman, J. & Kruse, C. ( 1969) Simulation Model of Urban Refuse Collection. Journal of the Sanitary Engineering Division-ASCE, 289-298.
36.
Yang, W.F., Hung, M.L., Chao, C.W., Chen C.F. & Chang Y.H. ( 2007) Evaluation of Municipal Solid Waste Management Strategy in Taoyuan. Bureau of Environmental Protection of Taoyuan County, Taiwan.
