Stochastic Programming and Game Theory for Solid Waste Management Decision-Making

Holistic uncertainty analysis leads to the creation of a new spectrum of uncertainty quantification (UQ) that has been recognized as a critical element necessary for continued advancement in decision analysis for environmental sustainability. This chapter describes the rationale and application of stochastic programming and Game theory (GT) to start a series of discussions concerning UQ as applied to waste management. Stochastic programming can be viewed as an extension of mathematical programming models for decision analysis whose coefficients (input data) could be expressed by random variables under an uncertain environment. When incorporating the GT into consideration, a series of nonlinear programming models are oftentimes needed to carry out the essential decision analysis and comprehend the implications of the interactions associated with relevant constraints.