A model was developed to assist municipal solid waste managers in selection of a strategy to maximize compliance with the EPA hierarchy for waste management while minimizing social and financial costs. The model considers marginal costs and benefits of reduction, composting, recycling, incinerating and landfilling of the waste stream. A model was developed which considers 4 methods of recycling solid wastes for residential and operational areas of Air Force installations. Probabilistic participation rates and market prices allow analysis under uncertainty. Financial and waste diversion results are shown for each strategy, allowing selection of preferred strategy.
Environmental managers use technological means to design solid waste management systems.
However, programs that reduce waste require behavioral changes that depend on participants' attitudes and motivations. Convenience, environmental consciousness and recreation value can and should be considered when environmental managers determine solid waste strategies. We use DA to select a waste management policy which maximizes environmental value and diversion from landfills and minimizes cost at Air Force installations. It makes decisions regarding waste streams and levels to reduce, compost, recycle and incinerate, considering the uncertain values of the decision maker. Cheap fast PCs are now the platform of choice for some parallel optimization tasks.