A Mixed Integer Linear Programming Model for End of Life Vehicles Recycling Network Design

Abstract

Automotive industry, with both its contributions to the technology and values added to the economy, has been indisputably one of the leading sectors. As the demand and interest in automobile grow, the environmental pollution caused by the automobiles increases correspondingly. In addition to automobiles’ carbon emissions, also the vehicles which have completed their life cycle, namely scrap vehicles, cause environmental pollution due to their solid and liquid waste. In developed countries, a regulation has been made in order to prevent the situation from getting worse. According to this regulation, in order to support product management, manufacturers are obliged to take back and recycle all their vehicles which have completed their life cycle. The regulation started to be implemented after being adapted to the national law. Upon its adaptation to our national regulations, it has been enforced in our country as well.
In the study, Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model has been presented to design end of life vehicles recycling network. The proposed model has minimized the total network cost as well as to determine the amount of material transported between the facilities and to decide whether to open the dismantling and shredding facilities. The presented model has been applied to end of life vehicles recycling network design problem in Istanbul. The proposed model gives suitable and cost effective results for end of life vehicles recycling network in Istanbul.