Hazardous waste management system design under population and environmental impact considerations

Area of Science:

• Operations Research
• Environmental Engineering
• Risk Management

Background:

• Large-scale hazardous waste management systems (HWMSs) pose significant risks to public health and the environment.
• Minimizing transportation costs and associated risks is crucial for effective HWMS planning.
• Existing models often lack comprehensive environmental impact assessments and waste-to-technology considerations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a multi-objective mixed-integer location/routing model for HWMSs.
• To minimize both transportation costs and environmental/public risks associated with hazardous waste (HW).
• To propose a novel definition of environmental impact considering vulnerable ecological elements.

Main Methods:

• Mathematical formulation of a multi-objective mixed-integer location/routing model.
• Development of a new environmental impact assessment considering proximity to water bodies, agricultural areas, and other sensitive zones.
• Utilizing a Pareto optimal curve to balance conflicting objectives of cost and risk reduction.
• Incorporating waste-to-technology compatibility and processing residue considerations.

Main Results:

• The model successfully identified optimal transportation routes and locations for HW handling facilities.
• Key information on facility types, capacities, and costs (investment/operational) was determined.
• A Pareto optimal curve was generated, illustrating trade-offs between cost minimization and risk mitigation.
• The model demonstrated applicability to real-world HWMS planning through a case study in Turkey.

Conclusions:

• The proposed model provides a robust framework for planning efficient and safe HWMSs.
• It enables informed decision-making for both public authorities and private investors in the hazardous waste sector.
• The integrated approach to cost, risk, and environmental impact offers a significant advancement in HWMS optimization.