Systems approach to waste management in developing countries

A systems engineering approach to the development of waste management facilities is described which may prove to be useful for developing countries. Basically the approach involves a determination of performance objectives, the functions necessary to achieve the objectives, the constraints involved, and the basic facility requirements necessary to accomplish the functions. The foregoing provides the basis for developing a set of descriptions and associated requirements for the overall system as well as for elements of the system at different hierarchical levels. These in turn provide the basis for initiation of design and subsequently construction of the facilities involved. The operation of the approach is illustrated for a hypothetical low level waste processing system