FURI | Spring 2018

Waste Stream Map of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area

Linear consumption modes are problematic because they are unsustainable. This research aimed to analyze and provide alternative system designs for economic cycles of extraction, production, and disposal demonstrated through dynamic models of waste-flows for the Phoenix metropolitan. This model shows engineering systems gaps in waste systems and proposes sustainable solutions to address those gaps. A systems-dynamic model using the Vensim software package is used to show that diversion rates of solid waste from various industries is improved with sustainable engineering designs, public education, and policy changes. Future work includes extending the model to explore specific industrial waste flow categories.