Efficient waste recycling with mobile plants

In this article, Eduardo Alarcon-Gerbier and Udo Buscher develop a concept for mobile recycling units (MRUs) embedded in standard containers. The MRUs can be relocated as required to be closer to the waste generation. Only a limited amount of waste can be temporarily stored at the locations where waste is generated, so the waste must either be recycled on-site or transported to another location. The aim is to position the mobile plants over time in such a way that the total cost of transporting waste and relocating the mobile plants is minimized.

First, the problem is formulated mathematically. Since only small problem instances can be solved with commercial solvers, the authors develop three heuristics to address large instances as well. The calculation study shows how the solutions differ depending on the number of mobile plants, the number of relocations, and various capacity and cost constellations. It shows that mobile recycling plants offer great potential for efficient waste disposal. However, intelligent control of these plants is the key to success.