Improving Efficiency Of Municipal Waste Collection Using GPS Logistics

Abstract

Typical municipal system for solid waste management consists of several sub-systems. Collection and waste transportation is one of the most important sub-system which includes almost half of the total expenses. In order to establish more efficient and economic sustainable public service it is necessary to make improvements of this sub-system. Some of the precautions for improvements are establishing the system for monitoring of waste collection (GPS satellite tracking system) and its implementation in the municipal environmental information database, which are presented in this paper. General methodology of route optimization for solid waste collection is also presented. Case study for typical communal vehicle in the city of Kragujevac within one route is made, and the result indicates possible saving of 800 km per year. According to published studies in this research field it is possible to make savings up to 40% of total costs.