A sustainable approach to the collection and transportation of solid waste of Dibrugarh city, Assam

Approaches for solid waste management (SWM) differ based on the local economy, living conditions, government systems, etc. Collect and transportation components are fundamental criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of various SWM methods and technologies. This approach consists of collection from sources and transportation to the disposal facility while stopping wherever necessary. It is important to develop a solution that would help in the effective transportation and collection of waste. The major concern is finding an alternative to the commonly practiced SWM system. In this paper, an improved framework of transportation routes for SWM of Dibrugarh city, Assam, has been attained. Three scenarios were designed; C0: the original route, C1: the exact work method used as in the original case with a change of sequencing of stopping points, C2: optimized route with a change of vehicles, and C3: change of vehicle and reallocation of stops. The efficiency of the collection and transportation route has been compared in terms of traveled distance, time allotment, human resources use, and fuel consumption. C3 is the best methodology with a change of vehicle, and reallocation with about 42.86%, 61.86%, 64.10%, and 50.65% reduction in various aspects such as workers, working time, travelled distance, and fuel consumption, respectively. These scenarios not only help in choosing the best routes for successful transportation but are also economical due to the reduced need for fuel and labor and environmentally friendly due to lower carbon dioxide emissions.