Prioritizing of strategies for the ecological design of urban waste transfer stations using SWOT analysis

Abstract

Comprehensive waste management represents a broad range of challenges that affect human health and the environment. Although the operation of urban waste transfer stations (WTS) has been successful in reducing transportation costs, the environmental impacts of them, impose a threat on public health and comfort. This research studies the environmental issues and pollutions produced by Darabad WTS, and presents priority assessed ecological design strategies to reduce and control the pollution discharged by the activities carried out at the station. Applied research methodology and descriptive-analytical approach are the methods utilized in this study. The descriptive approach relies on the surveys conducted in the field. In the analytical approach, the collected data on the environmental Weaknesses, Strengths, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) of the Darabad WTS are analyzed, and the design strategies are assessed based on the SWOT method. The results show that the total weight of the internal factors is 2.22, while the total sum of external factors is 3.02. Results imply the dominance of the external factors over the internal factors. Offensive strategies for station design are also a priority.The severity of the environmental impacts of the WTS can be reduced by applying the ecological criteria to the extent possible