Waste Management Cost Reduction in Istanbul: Municipal Waste Transportation on Railway

The relocation of landfill site from Odayeri to Seymen (average distance approximately 30 km to 110 km) in Istanbul has led to an increase in the distance of transport of waste. The aim of this study was to find an alternative waste transportation to reduce waste management cost by using Halkali-Edirne railway for the European side of Istanbul. The costs of transporting waste by road and railway were compared using primary and secondary resources. Waste transportation on road cost was found approximately 25.2 million $/year. Minimum cost scenario (Scenario 3) with a transportation by rotopress body on flatcar with the electric locomotive would reduce the cost by 52 %. Consequently, the transport of waste to the Seymen landfill by rail would be considered more cost-effective than road transport. The data used in this study was provided prior to Covid-19 so that the same study should be repeated with updated data.