Abstract

Efficiency in waste management is critical for urban sustainability, particularly in rapidly expanding cities such as Bisha in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This study examines the effectiveness of the implementation of a GIS-based waste management system through the application of project management techniques and economic analysis. The system aims to enhance operational efficiency, economic savings, and environmental sustainability by optimizing waste collection routes and waste bin placement. The processes of the GIS-based system implementation are analyzed using project management techniques such as the Critical Path Method (CPM) and the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT). These techniques have defined critical activities and optimized the project timeline. Additionally, an economic analysis evaluates the system's cost-effectiveness by computing the payback period, which estimates the duration required for the system to recover its initial investment through operational savings. The study results support the hypothesis that a GIS-based waste management system's efficiency may be increased by implementing project management techniques, resulting in a 9-month reduction in the overall duration of implementation from 63 months to 54 months. The economic study further confirms the cost-effectiveness and sustainability of the system over its expected 20-year lifespan, as seen by a positive payback period of less than five years. Contributing to broader environmental sustainability and public health goals, the paper concludes that such a model could be utilized as a guide for improving waste management practices in Bisha and other similar urban cities.