Expert-Based Method of Integrated Waste Management Systems for Developing Fuzzy Cognitive Map - Complex System Modelling and Control Through Intelligent Soft Computations - page 112

most similar time series. This way a more objective description of IWMS can be
given. While the FCM model represents the IWMS as a whole, BEA is used for
parameter optimization and identi

cation. Based on the results, in the near future
we intend to apply the systems of systems (SoS) approach to regional IWMS.

Keywords Integrated waste management system Sustainability factors Fuzzy

cognitive map Bacterial evolutionary algorithm Optimization

1 Introduction

Waste is one of the most visible environmental problems in the world. Increasing
population, changing consumption patterns, economic development, urbanization
and industrialization result in the increased generation of solid waste and a diver-
si cation of the types of the waste. Waste management is an umbrella term that

refers to a host of interlinked activities such as reduction, recycling, collection,
transportation, processing, disposal, and monitoring of waste materials.
The European Land

ll Directive ( 1999 /31/EC) and the Packaging and Packag-
ing Waste Directive ( 94/62/EC ) aim to reduce the amount of biodegradable
municipal waste going to land

ll. In addition, in Hungary the national waste
strategy requires an increase in the household waste recycling and recovery rates.
Movement towards more sustainable waste management practice has been identi-

fied as a priority in the whole of EU (Phillips et al. 1999 ). The EU Waste Man-
agement Strategy

' s requirements emphasize waste prevention; recycling and reuse;

and improving final disposal and monitoring. As a consequence, the so-called waste

hierarchy has become a major guiding principle for waste management policies
(Demirbas 2011 ).
Despite the progress that the EU and Hungary have made, the volume of most
waste streams continues to rise. By 2020 the waste generation is expected to be
doubled (den Boer and Lager 2007 ). The main approach to solid waste management
in Hungary is unfortunately still land lling. The expected new measures require the

development of different alternatives to improve the long-term performance and the
sustainability of the current waste management systems in order to reach the targets
set (Bovea and Powell 2006 ).
Waste management in Hungary is primarily controlled through legal regulations.
Legal provisions determine technical requirements for waste management, the
applicable economic incentives and sanctions, the responsibilities of the waste
generators and managers of waste as well as the licensing and supervisory duties of
the authorities. In Hungary, the local government is entrusted with the task of waste
management services.
In Hungary, huge waste management projects were in progress in the last years,
many forming part of a waste management mega-project of about 3 Mio EUR
(10 billion HUF). These projects are designed to establish EU-compliant waste