Mathematical modeling in municipal solid waste management: case study of Tehran

BACKGROUND: Solid Waste Management (SWM) in metropolises with systematic methods and following environmental issues, is one of the most important subjects in the area of urban management. In this regard, it is regarded as a legal entity so that its activities are not overshadowed by other urban activities. In this paper, a linear mathematical programming model has been designed for integrated SWM. Using Lingo software and required data from Tehran, the proposed model has been applied for Tehran SWM system as a case study. RESULTS: To determine the optimal status of the available system for Tehran’s Solid Waste Management System (SWMS), a novel linear programming model is applied. Tehran has 22 municipal regions with 11 transfer stations and 10 processing units. By running of the model, the transfer stations and processing units are decreased to 10 and 6 units, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed model is an alternative method for improvement the SWMS by decreasing the transfer stations and processing units.