Assessment of Synergy Degree among Process of Integrated Municipal Solid Waste Management in Harbin, China

Abstract

Integrated Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management is the foundation step for improving the efficiency of MSW management and satisfying the urban environment sustainability requirements. Therefore, this study aims to identity the weakness in the process of integrated MSW management, and support approaches to an effective integrated MSW management according to practice of the city governance. In this paper, the MSW management synergy system with four subsystems (MSW separation, MSW collection, MSW transportation, and MSW disposal) has been constructed in Harbin, China. Synergy degree model is used to calculate the order degrees of the subsystems and the synergy system from 2010 to 2019, and then study the synergistic development and orderly evolution trend of MSW management. The results indicate that the order degrees of the subsystems all develop to an ordered state, and the order degree of the MSW transportation subsystem of integrated MSW management synergy system in the study area improved continuously. Meanwhile, the order degree of the MSW separation subsystem developed slowly, staying at a relatively low level overall, indicating that MSW separation should be paid close attention to in Harbin.