Closed-loop multi-objective waste management through vehicle routing problem in neutrosophic hesitant fuzzy environment

Waste management contributes in various fields for global development. A multi-objective waste management (MOWM) problem is devised in an area that generates commercial, industrial and residential waste items. The target is to reduce the negative impact of waste items on social, economical and environmental sites by completing a closed-loop MOWM through a vehicle routing problem under time window restriction. This MOWM problem is optimizing the objectives including maximum profit, minimum carbon emission under carbon cap-and-trade policy, and minimum work load deviation to maintain the sustainability. Here, neutrosophic hesitant fuzzy (NHF) environment is preferred to overcome the hesitancy of MOWM problem. A new ranking approach is initiated for defuzzifying NHF data. The appropriateness of the formulated model is justified by evaluating two realistic applications. To derive the Pareto-optimal solution of the proposed MOWM problem, two fuzzy techniques, namely, neutrosophic linear programming and neutrosophic hesitant fuzzy programming, and one non-fuzzy technique global criterion method are utilized in NHF environment. The obtained Pareto-optimal solutions are compared by TOPSIS for determining the final Pareto-optimal solution and to select a better approach among the proposed three approaches. Comparison analysis, sensitivity analysis, managerial insights and conclusions with future research scopes are outlined at the end.