A reverse logistics network for recycling in Chile: a case in Concepción

Currently, pollution and poor recycling are global issues. Recycling is a widely used waste-management method throughout the world and contributes to eliminating waste efficiently and reduces the excessive use of natural resources. In this study, an optimized collection system of household recyclable material has been characterized and designed for cities with a low recycling level. To address this task, we propose a mathematical programming model that integrates two decisions, allocation and routing of different varieties of recycled products. First, the distance traveled by each customer and the costs associated with installing smaller collection centers are minimized. Subsequently, to minimize recyclable material transport, a route planning problem is solved by collecting from centers of greater capacity rather than from small centers, according to the traveling salesman problem. To illustrate our approach's usefulness, a numerical example based on the case of Chile's southern city is considered. The results suggest that the developed model is a practical tool for decision-makers in making tactical and operational decisions to reduce recycling costs.