OPTIMIZATION OF SUSTAINABLE WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS THROUGH A LOCAL RESOURCE–BASED ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT APPROACH

Abstract

Rapid urbanization and increasing economic activities in urban areas and tourist destinations have led to a significant rise in both the volume and complexity of waste, placing serious pressure on existing waste management systems. This study aims to optimize municipal waste management systems based on local resources through an Environmental Engineering Management (EEM) approach. A case study was conducted in Tomohon City using an applied quantitative method integrating Material Flow Analysis (MFA), Multi-Criteria Decision Making (AHP–TOPSIS), Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and economic analysis based on Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Cost–Benefit Analysis (CBA). MFA was employed to map material flows and identify system inefficiencies, while AHP–TOPSIS was applied to determine optimal waste management alternatives based on technical, environmental, economic, social, and institutional criteria. LCA was used to quantitatively evaluate environmental impacts across the waste management life cycle. The results indicate that the existing system remains heavily reliant on landfill disposal with low material recovery rates. Alternatives emphasizing source separation, strengthened waste banks, and community-based organic waste treatment achieved the highest rankings, demonstrating improved environmental performance, lower life cycle costs, and higher social acceptance. The EEM approach is proven to be an effective decision-support framework for sustainable waste management and has strong potential for replication in other urban areas with similar characteristics.