Evaluating the municipal solid waste management approach of a city using material flow analysis

Towards an efficient utilisation of resources, waste minimisation and reuse through recycling and energy recovery is becoming as important as energy efficiency. Knowledge of municipal solid waste flow provides the starting point for evaluating management efficiency measures implemented. This study aims at applying material flow analysis towards evaluating the existing waste management approach within the City of Johannesburg to highlight the degree of recycling activities at each point within the waste flow pathway. Also, to identify the drivers and quantify the amount of valuable resources presently being lost to due to landfilling. The result obtained showed that about 4.41% of 1,400,000 tonne/year of waste generated is being recycled/recovered. Of the recycled fraction, about 60% is contributed by informal recyclers. Approximately 300,000 tonne/year of recyclable material is presently being discarded at landfills within the city and 252,000 tonne/year of organic waste is available for energy recovery. © IEOM Society International.