Policy planning using genetic algorithms combined with simulation: the case of municipal solid waste

Previous research had introduced a genetic algorithm procedure for creating alternative policy options for municipal solid waste (MSW) management planning. These alternatives were generated during the design phase of planning, with the final policy determined in subsequent comparative analysis. However, because of the many uncertain factors that exist within MSW systems, this earlier procedure cannot be applied to situations containing such stochastic components. In this paper, it is shown that a generic algorithm approach can be simultaneously combined with simulation to incorporate these stochastic elements in the policy option generation phase; thereby permitting uncertainty to be directly integrated into the construction of the alternatives during the planning-design phase. This procedure is applied to case data taken from the Regional Municipality of Hamilton -- Wentworth in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It can be shown that this procedure extends the earlier approach and provides many practical planning benefits for problems when uncertain conditions are present.