Multi-Objective Optimization for Healthcare Waste Management Network Design with Sustainability Perspective

Abstract

Healthcare Waste Management (HWM) is considered as one of the important urban decision-making problems due to its potential environmental, economic, and social risks and damages. The network of the HWM system involves important decisions such as facility locating, inventory management, and transportation management. Moreover, with growing concerns towards sustainable development objectives, HWM systems should address its environmental and social aspects as well as its economic and technical characteristics. In this regard, this paper formulates a novel multi-objective optimization model to empower companies in making optimized decisions considering the economic, environmental, and social aspects. Within the proposed model, the first objective function aims to minimize the transportation costs, processing costs, and establishment costs. The second objective function aims to minimize environmental risks and emissions related to the transportation of waste between facilities. The third objective function aims to maximize job creation opportunities. Formulating these three functions, an Improved Multi-Choice Goal Programing (IMCGP) approach is proposed to solve the multi-objective optimization model, which is then compared with the Goal Attainment Method (GAM). Finally, to show the applicability and feasibility of the proposed model, an illustrative example of healthcare waste management is analyzed, and the results are discussed.

Rise of multiattribute decision‐making in combating COVID‐19: A systematic review of the state‐of‐the‐art literature

“…27,28 In this case, the main concern is to plan/design the most suitable alternative with respect to limited resources. 29,30 By contrast, MADM is associated with problems in which the alternatives must be identified. In this category, the main concern is to provide a selection/ prioritisation/ranking for a finite number of alternative options.…”

“…From a practical viewpoint, the MODM is not associated with problems in which the alternatives have been preidentified 27,28 . In this case, the main concern is to plan/design the most suitable alternative with respect to limited resources 29,30 . By contrast, MADM is associated with problems in which the alternatives must be identified.…”

Adoption of innovative strategies to mitigate supply chain disruption: COVID-19 pandemic

“…Tirkolaee et al ( 2021 ) explored and validated the different green solutions for disposal of medical waste through mathematical models to effectively control spread of COVID-19 virus. Similarly, Torkayesh et al ( 2021 ) designed sustainable healthcare waste management networks for the objective of controlling and managing medical waste at minimum transportation cost and carbon emission to reduce the medical waste burden on environment and create the maximum jobs opportunities during pandemic. However, cleaner production is an undeniable approach that manufacturing firms implement during the production processes to decrease their adverse effects on the environment (Dong et al 2019 ).…”

Medical Waste Treatment Technologies for Energy, Fuels, and Materials Production: A Review

“…Liu et al [178] proposed coordinating governments, hospitals, communities, and other departments in the MWD process, as well as developing guidelines for MWD nationwide to deal with potential risks and optimize MWM systems using the green governance principle. Torkayesh et al [179] developed a novel multi-objective optimization model to assist the optimized decision-making by the MWG companies, considering the economic/environmental/social aspects of the sustainability concept. They aimed to minimize the transportation/processing/establishment costs, as well as the MW transportation environmental risks/emissions in combination with the maximization of job creation opportunities.…”