Evaluation and development of solid waste management plan: a case of Seoul for past and future 10 years

For strategic planning of municipal solid waste management, the goals and action plans should be predicted and adopted after proper evaluations of the previous achievements. Thus, this long-term plans for past and future 10 years were evaluated and developed by completing the procedures for current and future status analysis, the evaluation of the 2nd Seoul Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP), the development of the 3rd Seoul SWMP, expert forum, public hearing, and “Prior Environmental Review” of Korea Ministry of Environment. The greatest achievements during the 2nd Seoul SWMP (2002–2011) were good performances of waste treatment methods and their rates and greenhouse gas (GHG) saving effects. The 3rd Seoul SWMP induces three policy stances and six directions of waste management from 2012 to 2021 in Seoul. The project section in this plan is divided into six policy stages and eighteen action plants in whole. The goals of the 3rd plan are direct landfill 5.4 % and resource recovery 72 % by 2021. Optimization index analysis shows the increases of the index from 62.2 % in 2009 to 79.2 % in 2021. As well as optimization index analysis, further analysis results for public budget, GHG emissions, and job creation supports that the 3rd Seoul SWMP has been successfully planned. These findings suggest several courses of action for evaluation and development of long-term solid waste management plan in various countries.