Design of A Sustainable Development Model for E-waste Recycling

Waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is one of the largest growing waste streams globally. Waste from electrical and electronic equipment contains hazardous materials that may have an impact on human environment and health if not properly managed. Thus, for a sustainable environment, e-waste needs to be directed to proper end-of-life processes, i.e. recycling and disposal. The objective of this paper is to design a national level WEEE recovery network based on sustainable development objectives in which economic, environmental and social issues are considered. A simulation-optimization model is developed to determine the best locations for the recycling plants for managing total WEEE in Iran, so that the government can simultaneously perform the trade-off between environmental issues and economical and social impacts.