AbstractThis paper describes an approach developed to minimize the cost of refuse collection operations in a city of 150,000 population. The method is general and applicable to a city of any size.A model is derived for collection which is a function of varied housing layouts, collection times, team sizes and the distance of the collection rounds from the disposal point. Then a computational method is developed which allocates collection operatives to vehicles and designs rounds which together minimize the total collection cost.The advantages of the method are:(a) It reduces collection costs. The“one-off”cost of applying the method to 10 per cent of the local authorities in the U.K. would be [pound]150,000 and yield a reduction in costs of [pound]500,000 p.a.(b) It enables management to replan rounds quickly as circumstances change.(c) Other applications, which are being investigated, are also discussed.