Urban digital twin-based solution using geospatial information for solid waste management

Abstract

With over 2 billion metric tons generated annually, global solid waste production has severe environmental consequences. Although it is not a primary Sustainable Development Goal, effective solid waste management (SWM) is vital for meeting targets 11.6, 12.4, and 12.5. South Africa, in particular, deals with significant SW generation and inadequate collection services. Therefore, this paper presents an Urban Digital Twin (UDT) prototype to tackle these issues, involving stakeholder prioritization, integrating real-time monitoring, citizen participation, waste generation simulations, optimized collection routes, and a control Dashboard where stakeholders’ system requirements were included. The UDT proposes optimized collection routes to reduce fuel use, operational costs, and emissions. The stakeholders’ opinions on the usefulness of the UDT varied due to their backgrounds and skills. Most of them appreciated the Dashboard visualization and the UDT possibilities for resource optimization. The performance of the UDT depends on computer capacity and local or online processing. This UDT prototype sets the foundation for digital twinning in SWM, scalable to different areas, vehicles, and production levels. The proposed approach, citizen involvement, and multi-stakeholder engagement enhance the SWM, benefiting resource-limited countries.