Economic evaluation of a regionalization program for solid waste management in a metropolitan region

The complexity of large scale solid waste management projects, in this age of stringent fiscal and disposal space constraints, requires the application of a new broad-based management approach that takes full advantage of the benefits afforded by modern centralized facilities. To satisfy this need, this paper is designed to evaluate a regionalization program for solid waste management in a metropolitan region. An optimization model is applied to identify cost-effective expansion plans through the use of optimal siting strategies. In particular, the procedure considers three potentially conflicting criteria: costs, political and administrative feasibility, and the siting of new transfer station facilities. Final solutions may optimally direct waste generation sources to new transfer station locations, treatment plants, and disposal facilities within each planning stage at a minimal cost. This methodology has been tested extensively through several solid waste management plans for the Taipei metropolitan region in Taiwan. The results of the case studies also indicate that by siting new transfer stations, the optimal strategies of regionalization options can reduce direct costs and help generate satisfactory solid waste management programs if political obstacles are not existing. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.