A synchronized framework for straw recycling logistics

Straw, as a byproduct of agricultural production, is used in resource-oriented, feed-oriented, and substrate-oriented ways, while straw recycling is the first step toward its efficient utilization. In practice, straw recycling enterprises first determine the baling plan and then the transport plan. Such a sequential decision-making method increases the time delay between these two processes and the maximum completion time. However, existing studies have rarely taken this issue into account. This study proposes an integrated scheduling framework to synchronize straw baling and transportation by jointly determining the working routes of straw balers and transporters, and proposes an efficient solution algorithm to solve it. Numerical experiments using real-world datasets show that our proposed methodology provides high-quality solutions within a reasonable computation time and reduces the maximum completion time, compared with the sequential decision-making method. Expanding the fleets of straw balers and transporters shortens the maximum completion time, and more straw balers also significantly decrease waiting time.