Abstract

BETANZO-QUEZADA, Eduardo; TORRES-GURROLA, Miguel Ángel; ROMERO-NAVARRETE, José Antonio  and  OBREGON-BIOSCA, Saúl Antonio. Assessment of solid waste collection routes assisted by Global Positioning Systems: Analysis and implications. Rev. Int. Contam. Ambient [online]. 2016, vol.32, n.3, pp.323-337. ISSN 0188-4999.  https://doi.org/10.20937/RICA.2016.32.03.07.

The management of solid waste is a complex task for public authorities due to its social, economic, technological and environmental implications. Waste collection represents between 70 and 85 % of the total costs of managing solid waste, so it is a critical aspect of the service. The aim of this study is to assess the waste collection system in the municipality of Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico, based on GPS data. A fleet of garbage trucks was monitored, covering 71 waste collection routes. We used a conceptual route of methods proposed by the Ministry of Social Development (Secretaría de Desarrollo Social) of Mexico to assess the main operating parameters, determining the level of efficiency of the existing collection routes. The results show the advantages of using low-cost technological equipment in the planning and controlling of the solid waste collection systems, that play a key role in the environmental protection.

Keywords : waste; urban logistics; transport.