A model for the reallocation of recycling containers: application to the case of glass

From both the social as well as the economic perspective, the recycling of household waste products is of growing importance. The recycling of glass in particular is one of the most successful as far as public collaboration is concerned, as well as due to the demand for recycled material on the part of glass manufacturers. This article presents a model for designing the first stage in the reverse logistics chain, i.e. the collection of material (in our case, applying the model to the collection of glass) directly from the consumer by means of containers. The aim of this model is to determine how to distribute the recycling containers in a specific region in the most efficient way possible, taking into account the economic and sociological characteristics of the population (level of education, number of catering establishments, etc.), while attempting to maximise the material collected and reducing the logistics costs. The model has been applied to the case of the Principality of Asturias, Spain, obtaining estimations that improve the performance of the system.