Efficient disaster waste management: identifying suitable temporary sites using an emission-aware approach after the Kahramanmaras earthquakes

Abstract

The clean and sustainable disposal of waste generated by natural disasters is crucial for effective disaster waste management. The initial stages of waste management involve determining the quantity of waste and identifying suitable temporary sites for its disposal. This study estimates that the Kahramanmaras province produced approximately 15 million tons of construction and demolition waste and 41,000 tons of household waste following the recent Kahramanmaras Earthquakes on February 6, 2023. Additionally, the study proposes eight temporary disaster waste sites considering various environmental and technical criteria. It should be noted that this is the first study to factor in emissions from waste transportation when selecting temporary disaster waste sites. An algorithm that considers the transportation network to calculate emissions for each map pixel is developed and integrated with geographic information system to identify the best temporary disaster sites. The results show that the most suitable location for temporary sites is southeast of the city center. The transportation time of the waste to the most suitable temporary site is found to be 98 days when 1000 trucks are in operation. The estimated emissions due to the transportation of the waste to the recycling facilities in this region are approximately 88,000 tons of carbon dioxide, 4.4 tons of sulphur oxide, 7.6 tons of nitrogen oxide, and 47.7 tons of particulate matter. The approach employed in this study can be utilized to identify suitable temporary sites for waste management after any natural disaster.