A multiobjective model for locating solid waste transfer facilities using an empirical opposition function

Solid waste transfer stations (SWTS) are facilities where municipal refuse is transferred from collection trucks to long-haul trucks for more economical shipping to distant landfills. In this paper, a multiobjective model for locating SWTS examines the tradeoffs between minimizing costs and public opposition. The cost objective combines the transshipment and the fixed-charge problems, while expected public opposition is modeled as a decreasing function of distance from the facility. The authors believe this is the first location model for any type of undesirable facility to use an opposition function derived empirically from opinion survey data. A case study of Phoenix, Arizona uses actual data on sites, zones, tonnages, costs, and local residential attitudes. The model is calibrated to historical budget data for accuracy and also to explore the model’s sensitivity to various parameters. Six sets of multiobjective analyses generate noninferior tradeoff curves under various assumptions. They show that the City of Phoenix chose a noninferior compromise location, that substantial cost savings can be achieved with an SWTS, and that further research is warranted to explore the alternative of building numerous small SWTS instead of a single large one.