INTERNATIONAL ENERGY JOURNAL

Volume 20, No. 03, Month SEPTEMBER, Year 2020, Pages 325 - 336

Implementation of analytic hierarchy process for sustainable municipal solid waste management: a case study of bangkok

Nayseang Sun, Supachart Chungpaibulpatana, Bundit Limmeechokchai

Abstract Download PDF

Municipal solid waste (MSW) is considered as one of the renewable energy sources in Thailand, and MSW management is a challenging issue due to its complicated structure that relevant to environmental and socio-economic condition, especially in developing countries. This study aims to review the current status to highlight issues of MSW management in Bangkok, Thailand, then to analyze the situation in order to propose suitable waste treatment technologies for Bangkok based on data/information analysis. To reach the milestone, the interviewing of local administrators and experts in field of waste treatment technologies as well as reviewing of relevant documents are needed. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method is implemented to evaluate a sustainable MSW management for Bangkok by considering a sustainability model that is associated with environmental, social and economic aspects. The result indicates that 90% of total waste generation in Bangkok are collected. Out of MSW collected in Bangkok, 10% was composted in On-Nut transfer station, 3% was incinerated in Nong Khaem transfer station, and the other 87% was sent to landfills outside Bangkok. On the other hand, results of AHP analyses show the preferred technology for Bangkok while sensitivity analysis determines the variation of technologies ranking when the weight of criteria changes. The study also suggests the integrated systems for sustainable development. The first integrated system, composting (CP) and gasification (GF), is preferable in case there are market opportunities for compost products. On the other hand, an anaerobic digestion (AD) and gasification (GF) system is preferable if the stakeholders give more importance to biogas production and electricity generation. The outcomes are thought to provide benefits for the policymakers, investors, researchers, and other stakeholders in Bangkok and elsewhere.

Keywords

analytic hierarchy process (AHP), Bangkok, priorities ranking, sustainable municipal solid waste management, waste treatment technology.

---