Case Study: Demand Covering and Service Level Estimation in Public Services Planning : The Case of Household Waste Recycling Centres

The demand covering concept captures the influence of the distance on the capability to provide a service to user. It is assumed that demand can be covered by a facility only if the distance between the facility and the place where the user is located with a covering radius. This concept is very frequently utilised in public services planning. Concepts from Location Science can be used in planning decisions in both public and private sector contexts. Specifically, considerations about demand allocation can provide insightful support to decision-makers. Aimed at students of waste management, logistics, supply chain and operations management, this case looks at kerbside collection services and neighbourhood recycling points.The case examines elements that constitute a location problem which are represented by: facilities offering a given service; users requiring the service; a location space, in which facilities can be located and users are situated.It offers readers tangible examples and worked through calculations demonstrating how to use Location Science and plan successfully.The case study looks at the service level the current configuration of the HWRC sites system provide to local households and provides readers with advice on how to estimate the effects of changes in opening hours on the service provision. Readers are also provided with tables illustrating how to effectively analyse and process the information.