System Dynamics of Waste Management

Running Head: SYSTEM DYNAMICS OF WASTE MANAGEMENT
System Dynamics to Analyze the Problem of Waste and Wasteful Practices in the Company
Name
Institutional affiliation

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INTRODUCTION
This research paper investigates the use of System Dynamics through identification of
Archetypes and causal loop diagrams to evaluate the problem of wasteful practices and wastes
within the organization. From this assessment, there will of redesigning the organization to
implement the circular economy and then reduce the production of wastes. System Dynamics can
be defined as a method of understanding the nonlinear behavior of systems that are complex over
time by the use of time delays, table functions, internal feedback loop, flows, and stocks. In the
recent past waste has been a problem to various environments whereby the practice of different
approaches has implemented to counter the problem (Richardson, 2011). The effects of these
wastes on the economy cannot be overlooked, also managing them has become problematic.
Study has shown that waste management is the disposal, transport, or collection of wastes
thereafter managing and monitoring of the waste materials. System dynamics is the approach that
is used widely in analyzing situations that has the capability of changing over time. It is for this
reason why this methodology is used in analyzing numerous systems. The company under
evaluation is Plastic Manufacturing Company located in the outside of the city with 153
employees and producing 16 different types of plastic bottles.
LITERATURE REVIEW
SYSTEM DYNAMIC
System Dynamics can be defined as an approach for analyzing complex problems and systems
over time with the assistance of computer simulation software. The steps that should be followed
during system dynamics include making a loop diagram, variable connections, and then
determining the relation between the variable. System Dynamics was introduced at the

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1960s by Jay Forrester as a simulation and modeling
methodology for the analysis of long-term decision-making of problems faced by organization
management (Richardson, 2011). The methodology of System Dynamics provides a basis for
computer model construction so as to attain what human min cannot attain such as to analyze
rationally the mode or behavior, interactions, and structure of complex environmental and
technological systems. Therefore, System Dynamics has been applied in numerous areas such as
environmental management in developing countries, waste management solutions and challenges
for safe living of human beings, and global environmental sustainability for population
abatement or control (Phonphoton & Pharino, 2019).
System Dynamics Modelling can assist in building the communication and also in the
identification of the feedbacks among different components related in a system which promote
the policies of decision making in different cases. For example, the taxing policy on the materials
used for packaging can assist in reducing the generation of solid waste. The methodology of
System Dynamics focuses on the manner in which a single quantity can influence other through
the flow of physical information and entities. Such flows normally return to the original quantity
resulting into a feedback loop. The system behavior is controlled by these feedback loops
(Sukholthaman & Sharp, 2016).
System dynamics is specifically suitable for the simulation of complex systems like waste
management and generation as a modeling method. The model has the ability of dealing with
assumptions concerning structures of the system, and specifically for monitoring the impacts of
variations in sub-systems and their relations. Before discussing further the application of System
Dynamic Modeling in the management of solid waste, there is need of first discussing various
software together with their advantages and disadvantages. The major software tools used

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include Powersim Studio 8, System Thinking for Education and Research, and Ventana
Simulation. The system dynamics software tools are categorized into numerous categories
depending on their areas of application as explained below:
Extensive Software
Extensive software entails a huge work potion since they are significant during simulation and
building purposes of the system dynamic modelling. However, these software can support the
other model that uses differential equation forms, diagrammatic representations and other form
of modelling. Some of the examples of extensive software include Simgua, Simile, Doldsim,
Berkeley Madonna, and Dynaplan (Richardson, 2011).
Core Software
The term core means important or essential, therefore, core software is the software which is
significant and applied in most of the work. These software are used in simulating and making
the system dynamic models. Some of the examples of core software tools include Powersin
Studio, Vensim, and STELLA.

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Figure 1: Different System Dynamics Modeling Software and their features (Richardson,
2011)
Other Software
The other categories of software that are neither core nor extensive fall under the category of
Model analysis tools, Model coordinating tools, documentation tools, and Web based tools. This
is because they are model execution, model development, or web based modelling. The extensive
software are significant in its relationship behavior, crucial in understanding any structure of
model, and essential for work related to documentation. Some of the examples of software under
this category include NetLogo, iMODELLER, broadview, AND Insight Maker (Sukholthaman
& Sharp, 2016).
System Dynamics in Waste Management
The system dynamics is a simulation program of high-level graphics, which entails the system of
mathematical mapping with flow diagrams and stock. The steps involved during system dynamic

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simulation include problem identification, identification of important stocks and the flows
changing the levels of stock, information sources identification which impact the flows, main
feedback loop identification, construction of casual loop diagram linking sources of information,
flows, and stocks, stating the equation that determines the flows, conditions and parameters
estimation by statistical method such as relevant information sources and market research data,
and lastly model simulation and result analysis (Waldir, 2016).
System Dynamics Modelling applied in numerous studies shows its significance in decision
making or the future of the organization. For example, an increased price elasticity of demand
for the materials to assist in decreasing the materials used per for a specific product and the
packaging materials consumption; the separation at the source influences the collection services
efficiency, cost, waste to landfilling, recyclable and organic waste; the funding policies for
prevention of waste affect the landfilling and cost of recycling; solid waste generation increases
with an increase in income and population; and recycling of solid waste decreases the increase of
illegal management and disposal significantly (Inghels & Wout, 2010).
Causal loop diagrams
A causal loop diagram represents a system or problem such as mechanical system, ecosystem, or
waste management system in the system dynamics methodology. This is a simple map of a
system with all its basic components together with their interactions. A causal loop diagram
portrays the system structure by including feedback loops and causal loop diagrams. It becomes
easy to ascertain the behavior of a system over a certain period of time by understanding the
structure of the system (Schaffernicht, 2010).
Flow and Stock Diagrams