Abstract

The need for a suitable and efficient solid waste collection and transportation system is essential in order to minimise environmental impacts. Collection vehicles consume significant amount of diesel, engendering high CO₂ emissions as well as elevated costs. This paper focuses on the evaluation of possible causes for the rising CO₂ emissions for curbside waste collection vehicles, through the causal analysis of 6 different collection areas in Mauritius. As disclosed by the survey carried out in this research, a collection vehicle in Mauritius is likely to emit about 7 metric tons of CO₂ per annum. Hence, determining the factors influencing such a high level of emission is fundamental. The causal analysis is an effective means to identify and understand the relationships and impacts of various parameters affecting emissions for these types of vehicle.