A study on the regionalization of the municipal solid waste management system using a mathematical programming model

The increased environmental concerns and the emphasis on recycling are gradually shifting the orientation of municipal solid waste (MSW) management. This paper is designed to evaluate regionalization programs for MSW management system. We developed a mixed integer network programming (MIP) model to identify environment-friendly, cost-effective expansion plans for regionalization scenarios considered. The MIP model is a dynamic capacity expansion model based on the network flow model that depicts the MSW management cycle. In particular, our model is designed to determine the optimal form of regionalization using binary variables. We apply this model to assess the regionalization program of Seoul Metropolitan City, which includes three scenarios such as 1) districting, 2) regionalization with neighboring self-governing districts, and 3) globalization with all districts. We demonstrate how our model can be used to plan the MSW system. The results indicate that optimal regionalization with nearby self-governing districts can eliminate unnecessary landfills and expansions if jurisdictional obstacles are removed.