A technique has been devised to combine multiple criteria in fuel cycle optimization. Besides the conventional economic optimum, the model comprises the objectives of minimizing the economic risk as well as the proliferation hazard in the light water reactor (LWR) fuel cycle. Based on a material flow model, objective functions are formulated in a form amenable to linear programming. The scheme commences with a single-criterion stage, where the three solutions and suboptimal strategies obtained span the domain of feasible multigoal solutions. The multigoal optimum is searched by means of fuzzy optimization techniques that are eventually reduced again to linear programming. The method is applied to a reference nuclear power program. In this case, the economic optimum is found to motivate plutonium recycle in the LWR. The sole minimization of the proliferation risk corresponds to recycling the uranium only. Reprocessing and plutonium utilization should take place in a more resistant system. Minimization of economic risks would in this case lead to the once-through cycle. The combination of all the three criteria in the multigoal optimum is achieved by a recycle strategy where the recycle loadings are batched and scheduled to take place in a discontinuous manner. A substantial reduction of the proliferation risk can be claimed at an economic penalty that would be on the order of 10 to 15% of the fuel cycle costs.