ENVIRONMENTAL INPUT-OUTPUT-ANALYSIS AND ITS APPLICATION TO REGIONAL SOLID-WASTE MANAGEMENT PLANNING

In this paper, a commodity-by-industry input-output model is introduced to the regional solid-waste (RSW) management planning area. This model can reflect the direct and indirect effects of regional solid-waste generation and the specific relationships to the development of a regional economy. An improvement of the ordinary commodity-by-industry model is made, where a policy initiative-a ''3R'' program (composed of waste recycling, reus and reduction activities)-is introduced into the model based on the consideration that these activities have important roles in the minimization of solid-waste flows. The improved approach is applied to a hypothetical problem of RSW management planning. The results indicate that useful information may be gained from the solution of the input-output model. The model therefore provides a useful tool for economic planning that considers RSW management issues.