Optimal siting of transfer station locations in a metropolitan solid waste management system

Abstract

System analysis for solid waste management currently receives wide attention from both economic and environmental planners because of their complexity during the coordination of various management strategies. This paper deals with the development and application of an operational solid waste management model through a hierarchical approach, in which the siting problem of transfer stations in a large scale metropolitan region is decomposed into two different levels. This analytical approach encompasses a preliminary screening procedure using the Geographical Information System (GIS) and an optimization analysis by a mixed integer programming model. Four criteria are employed in the screening of initial candidate sites and the optimization of a solid waste collection, recycling, treatment, and disposal system is used to direct waste generation to existing or proposed transfer stations, treatment plants and disposal facilities at minimum cost. A case study in Taiwan shows that the optimal siting strategies of transfer stations can successfully reduce system direct cost and generate relatively reasonable operational programs.