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Cedalion and Orion, a decision support tool for dynamic landfill management
Published on 23 July 2019
Belgium
Prov. Antwerpen
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About this good practice
Every country in Europe has buried waste from the past, and quite some of it. What to do with all this lost space? Which landfill do I need to tackle first? The dual tool tries to support the decisions that policy makers need to take when dealing with these landfills. Originally created in the Interreg project RAWFILL, the dual tool builds further on existing tools and platforms from other European projects, rather than constructing yet another one.
The Cedalion tool is based on a Flemish decision support tool (Flaminco), that is modified to meet current knowledge and standards. It consists of a desktop programme where the main database is located and the calculations are done. An application makes it possible to collect up-to-date information and send it to the calculation sheet.
The Orion tool is a platform consisting out of existing tools, each with its strengths and weaknesses. It will help the user with estimations about the profitability of a business case, simulating certain scenario’s or finding interim solutions.
The latter, interim use, is the novelty in this dual tool. It is a time loop in the programme. The landfill will be given a function that is beneficial for nature and/or society while buying time until a certain point in the future where a full valorisation point might be profitable. Interim use can go from one year up to several decades.
The Cedalion tool is based on a Flemish decision support tool (Flaminco), that is modified to meet current knowledge and standards. It consists of a desktop programme where the main database is located and the calculations are done. An application makes it possible to collect up-to-date information and send it to the calculation sheet.
The Orion tool is a platform consisting out of existing tools, each with its strengths and weaknesses. It will help the user with estimations about the profitability of a business case, simulating certain scenario’s or finding interim solutions.
The latter, interim use, is the novelty in this dual tool. It is a time loop in the programme. The landfill will be given a function that is beneficial for nature and/or society while buying time until a certain point in the future where a full valorisation point might be profitable. Interim use can go from one year up to several decades.
Resources needed
All together at least 10 FTE have contributed to this tool from July 2017 onwards and are continuing to do so. Specific costs (excl. wages) are estimated to be €60.000 up to now.
Evidence of success
The Flaminco tool, the framework for Cedalion is a proof-of-concept of a decision support tool being used to help with enhanced landfill mining projects i.e. the allotment in the Speelkaarten quarter of Turnhout. The completed dual tool will be put to the test in the RAWFILL project on a number of landfills and results will be published according to the project agreement.
Potential for learning or transfer
After delivery, both the desktop programme and app will be freeware. It lowers the threshold for municipalities, regions and companies to actively do something with the estimated half a million landfills that are spread across Europe.
By offering a standardized way of collecting data, it might get easier in the future to exchange data and information between regions or EU countries, a current problem that was detected in the COCOON Report on mapping.
By offering a standardized way of collecting data, it might get easier in the future to exchange data and information between regions or EU countries, a current problem that was detected in the COCOON Report on mapping.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
Organisation
OVAM - Public Waste Agency of Flanders
Belgium
Prov. Antwerpen
Contact
Project coordinator