Optimal shipping strategy of solid waste streams based on energy recovery and throughput requirements of incineration facilities

System analysis for solid waste management has received wide attention from both economic and environmental planners because of the complex nature of these multifaceted linkages between source generation, collection, recyclin g, treatment, and disposal. One of the recent issues in the operational pro gram is how to properly handle the impacts due to various solid waste strea ms generated with varying heating values in different service area, which h ave to be destined for incineration and disposal. This paper explores a new idea that the optimal shipping strategy could be rearranged or reorganized from time to time with respect to the varying quantity and quality of soli d waste streams in order to meet both the energy recovery and throughput re quirements simultaneously in a solid waste management system. Through the a pplication of goal programming models, research findings in this paper clea rly indicate that such a management strategy may provide flexibility for th ose metropolitan regions where the problems of rapid growth of solid waste generation, residents' reluctance to adopt recycling activities, and insuff icient incineration capacity must be taken into account at one time. A case study for the western Taipei County in Taiwan shows the application potent ial of such a methodology.