1 AIT Asian Institute of Technology

A system dynamics approach to environmental planning and management of solid waste : a case study of Yangon, Myanmar

AuthorMay Thin Zar Han
Call NumberAIT Thesis no.UE-98-12
Subject(s)Refuse and refuse disposal--Myanmar--Yangon

NoteA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. School of Environment, Resources and Development
PublisherAsian Institute of Technology
Series StatementThesis ; no. UE-98-12
AbstractThe rapid growth in population, intensive land-use for residential, commercial and industrial activities has led to many urban environmental problems. These problems are related to basic infrastructure and services, pollution from wastes and emissions, and loss or destruction of natural and cultural resources. Solid waste, in particular, has become one of the most serious problems in Yangon, the capital of Myanmar. Insufficient solid waste management is increasingly emerging as a significant cause of urban environmental degradation such as water, land and air pollution, which leads to negative effects on human health and the quality of life. In Yangon, the main disposal practice is open dumping system, which is not environmentally sound. In the long term, all these factors will affect sustainable urban development. The immediate challenge for the decision-makers and planners is how to improve the solid waste management system. The research focuses on the system dynamics approach, which is employed to study the solid waste problems of the city. This study emphasizes on the long-term planning of solid waste management facilities with an analysis of solid waste capacity and management system over 20 years time scale until 2020. System dynamics modeling offers an attractive tool for policy evaluation. Various policies have been experimented with the model to assess their impacts on the whole system performance. According to simulation experiments, different policies have different impacts to implement at different stages. Generally, the promotion of recycling, composting, public participation and raising fund, is the most appropriate policy for the long term environmental planning and management of solid waste in Yangon. The implementing sequence of each of these policies from the short to the long term can be specified based on financial feasibility criteria. Sanitary landfill development will be environmentally sound policy, especially for the longer run, but it can be materialized only when the financial criteria are allowed. The future research with the model within and beyond its current limits can facilitate the development of new lmow
Year1999
Corresponding Series Added EntryAsian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. UE-98-12
TypeThesis
SchoolSchool of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD)
DepartmentDepartment of Energy and Climate Change (Former title: Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Change (DEECC))
Academic Program/FoSUrban Environmental and Management (UE)
Chairperson(s)Nguyen Luong Bach;
Examination Committee(s)Nurul Amin, A.T.M. ;Annachhatre, Ajit P.;
Scholarship Donor(s)Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC);
DegreeThesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology


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