Economic analysis of solid waste management with an application to scrap tire disposal

Scope and methods of study. Scrap tire disposal represents one of the major regulatory problems for most states in the United States. As a result many states have experimented with waste tire management programs, which primarily promote proper disposal through recycling and reuse. This dissertation investigates approaches that could be used in dealing with cost effectiveness of waste tire recycling activities and determination of incentives. A linear programming (LP) model and a mixed integer model (MIP) are developed to address transportation of tires, profit maximization of recycled material, and optimal location of waste tire facilities. Data from the Oklahoma Waste Tire Program is used to conduct the economic analysis.; Findings and conclusions. The analysis demonstrates that the transportation and profit maximization models can be used as basis for determining incentives for waste tire program. Results also indicate that two waste tire facilities can be optimally located at the chosen locations. However, the choice of any strategy depends upon the nature, objectives, and budgets of the individual scrap tire programs.