Sustainability and Algorithmic Comparison of Segmented PVRP for Healthcare Waste Collection: A Brazilian Case Study

Micaela Ines Castillo Ulloa, Diego Alexis Ramos Huarachi, Vinicius Moretti, Cleiton Hluszko, Fabio Neves Puglieri, Thalita Monteiro Obal and Antonio Carlos de Francisco ()
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Micaela Ines Castillo Ulloa: Sustainable Production Systems Laboratory (LESP), Postgraduate Program of Production Engineering (PPGEP), Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), R. Doutor Washington Subtil Chueire 330-Jardim Carvalho, Ponta Grossa 84017-220, Paraná, Brazil
Diego Alexis Ramos Huarachi: Sustainable Production Systems Laboratory (LESP), Postgraduate Program of Production Engineering (PPGEP), Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), R. Doutor Washington Subtil Chueire 330-Jardim Carvalho, Ponta Grossa 84017-220, Paraná, Brazil
Vinicius Moretti: Optimization and Decision-Making Research Group (GPOTD), Postgraduate Program of Production Engineering (PPGEP), Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), R. Doutor Washington Subtil Chueire 330-Jardim Carvalho, Ponta Grossa 84017-220, Paraná, Brazil
Cleiton Hluszko: Sustainable Production Systems Laboratory (LESP), Postgraduate Program of Production Engineering (PPGEP), Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), R. Doutor Washington Subtil Chueire 330-Jardim Carvalho, Ponta Grossa 84017-220, Paraná, Brazil
Fabio Neves Puglieri: Sustainable Production Systems Laboratory (LESP), Postgraduate Program of Production Engineering (PPGEP), Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), R. Doutor Washington Subtil Chueire 330-Jardim Carvalho, Ponta Grossa 84017-220, Paraná, Brazil
Thalita Monteiro Obal: Sustainable Production Systems Laboratory (LESP), Postgraduate Program of Production Engineering (PPGEP), Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), R. Doutor Washington Subtil Chueire 330-Jardim Carvalho, Ponta Grossa 84017-220, Paraná, Brazil
Antonio Carlos de Francisco: Sustainable Production Systems Laboratory (LESP), Postgraduate Program of Production Engineering (PPGEP), Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), R. Doutor Washington Subtil Chueire 330-Jardim Carvalho, Ponta Grossa 84017-220, Paraná, Brazil

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 19, 1-30

Abstract: The safe and sustainable management of healthcare waste (HCW) is essential for minimizing environmental impacts and protecting public health, particularly in developing countries with limited logistical infrastructure. Despite the growing adoption of routing optimization in HCW logistics, few studies integrate waste generator segmentation with algorithmic planning. This study proposes an optimization approach based on the Periodic Vehicle Routing Problem (PVRP), incorporating a segmentation of waste generators by volume. Two solution methods, the Clarke and Wright (CW) heuristic and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), are applied and compared through a real-world case study in Paraná, Brazil. Results show that PSO significantly outperforms CW in reducing travel distance and CO 2 emissions. For small generators, PSO achieves reductions of up to 41% in distance and 41.37% in emissions, compared to CW’s 35.42%. For large generators, PSO was reduced by 22% and 21.81%, respectively. The proposed method demonstrates the potential for scalable, data-efficient waste management strategies. This research contributes to sustainable urban logistics by bridging segmentation and routing optimization in resource-constrained settings, offering actionable insights for policymakers and planners.

Keywords: healthcare waste management; periodic vehicle routing problem; sustainability; particle swarm optimization; clarke and wright algorithm (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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