GIS plateform to improve waste management (towards a circular economy) in the canton of Valais
Master project - Available - Spring 2025
Context
This project is part of the waste platform initiative of the canton of Valais, where industries, municipalities, and cantonal services work together to enhance waste management across the region. The EPFL, through its Industrial Process and Energy Systems Engineering (IPESE) laboratory, aims to leverage its modeling and optimization tools to create a digital twin of the waste management system in the canton. This digital twin will be presented as an interactive map of Valais, designed to assist decision-makers in implementing circular economy measures and thus reduce the environmental impact of the waste sector.
Internship Topic
The first step will be to collect existing data on plastic and municipal waste flows (prioritizing plastics and food waste) from municipalities and waste treatment services, such as transporters, recyclers, and incinerators—this task has already begun. The next phase involves using Machine Learning methods to fill any data gaps. These data will be integrated into a GIS (Geographic Information System) model that will represent the current state of waste flows in the canton interactively, detailing the material flows, their destinations, and the treatment methods used. This model will help identify potential synergies between stakeholders and enable collaborative thinking on optimal ways to valorize waste flows. To enhance understanding, waste flows can be displayed individually by composition, and graphs summarizing changes in composition, quantities, and valorization methods will be generated. Finally, a circularity and environmental impact analysis of the system will be conducted using Material Flow Analysis (MFA) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
Location and Requirements
Knowledge of programming is required. Familiarity with the LCA methodology is a plus. Access to the necessary software for the project will be provided. This position allows for some remote work but will be mainly based in Sion.
Contact
Interested candidates are encouraged to apply by submitting a CV, cover letter, and academic transcripts to Soline Corre: soline.corre@epfl.ch