Siting MSW landfills using MCE methodology in GIS environment (Case study: Birjand plain, Iran)

A comprehensive review on the integration of geographic information systems and artificial intelligence for landfill site selection: A systematic mapping perspective

Properly selecting landfill sites for waste disposal is crucial for mitigating environmental and public health risks. Geographic Information Systems (GISs) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques have emerged as valuable tools for identifying suitable landfill locations. This study presents a systematic mapping study (SMS) that investigates the usage of GIS and AI in landfill site selection. We searched six databases (IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, Science Direct, Emerald Insight, Taylor & Francis Online and Web of Science) using predefined keywords related to landfills, GIS and AI. From 858 initially retrieved articles, we selected 48 relevant articles for in-depth analysis. Our research aimed to answer various questions, such as publication trends, the geographic distribution of case studies, criteria for assessing landfill suitability, tools and techniques employed, preliminary site screening methods, decision-making processes, limitations and future research directions. We used bubble charts, bar charts and tables to visualize the results. The findings of our study highlight the growing interest in using GIS and AI for landfill site selection and emphasize the importance of incorporating multi-criteria decision-making techniques. Furthermore, the results reveal the need for developing more advanced AI models, addressing the limitations of current approaches and exploring novel visualization techniques for enhancing landfill site selection processes. This study provides valuable insights for researchers and practitioners in waste management, environmental science and geoinformatics. It sets the groundwork for future research on improving GIS- and AI-based landfill site selection methodologies.

Multicriteria GIS-based assessment of biomass energy potentials in Nigeria

The understanding of the geographical variability of biomass energy is an essential requirement for the optimal location of biomass energy conversion plants. This research presents a multicriteria GIS-based assessment of biomass energy potentials and the appropriate siting of biomass plants in Nigeria. The study applies the weighted overlay multicriteria decision analysis method. Crop and forest areas, settlement (energy supply areas), shrub/grasslands, barren land, water bodies, distance from water sources, road accessibility, topography, and aspect are the criteria that were considered for locating a biomass facility in this study. The results suggest that the theoretical, technical, and economical energy potentials of crop residues are highest in the North-East region of Nigeria and estimated at 1,163.32, 399.73, and 110.56 PJ/yr, respectively, and lowest in the South-East at 52.36, 17.99, and 4.98 PJ/yr, respectively. The theoretical, technical, and economical energy potentials of forest residues are highest in the North-West, estimated at 260.18, 156.11, and 43.18 PJ/yr, respectively, and lowest in the South-East at 1.79, 1.08, and 0.30 PJ/yr, respectively. Although most areas were identified to be suitable for siting biomass plants across Nigeria, the most suitable areas are located in the northern part of the country and include Niger, Zamfara, the Federal Capital Territory, Nassarawa, Kano, Kebbi, Kaduna, and Borno State. The study supports the Nigerian bio-energy policy that proposes to effectively utilize Nigeria's non-fuelwood as a substitute for the felling of trees. This is very important to strengthen its commitment at the COP26 International Climate Conference, which is to conserve and restore its forest. Furthermore, this study will serve as a good reference for policymakers to make well-informed decisions on tackling the energy insecurity in Nigeria.

Optimal site selection for construction and demolition waste disposal using GIS-FAHP: a case study from Kafr El Sheikh City, Egypt

The increasing number of building and demolition projects results in huge amounts of construction and demolition wastes (CDWs) that are illegally dumped. However, these wastes must be disposed of in appropriate legal sites to protect the environment and human health. After reviewing the literature, no prior research examined optimal site selection for dumping or recycling CDW in an Egyptian city. Furthermore, the absence of field surveys did not offer a holistic understanding of the specific criteria used in the model for this region, nor did it permit an assessment of the suitability of existing dumpsites, thereby revealing certain limitations in the final results. In this regard, this research aims to apply a multi-criteria geographic information system (GIS)-based framework to identify an optimal site for CDW disposal in Kafr El Sheikh City. The criteria affecting the site selection are identified and categorized from prior literature, which are further refined using field surveys and focus group to evaluate their applicability in the context of an Egyptian city. After conducting questionnaire surveys, the trapezoidal interval type II fuzzy analytic hierarchy process is applied to compute the weights of the identified criteria from the perspective of each group of experts. The entropy-based aggregation approach is employed to identify the compromise weights taking into account the preferences of different groups. GIS is a powerful tool for geoprocessing and analyzing spatial big data. The result is a scenario map for the optimal site locations with varying suitability scales (i.e., excellent, very good, good, average, poor, and very poor). The proposed methodology provides what-if scenarios based on a selected set of criteria. According to the results of the multi-criteria decision analysis models, the suitability varies based on the weights of the criteria. For the equal-weighted criteria model, the excellent category covers 5.96% of the study area, increasing to 6.48% for the weighted criteria model. These areas primarily lie in the northeast direction. Conversely, the majority of the study area, 41.80% under equal-weighted criteria and 32.39% under weighted criteria, falls within the average and poor suitability categories, respectively. In general, the most suitable areas are located on the outskirts of the city, and the suitability decreases near the central business district. To bridge the gap between research findings and practical applications, a land use analysis employing satellite imagery is conducted to pinpoint suitable locations for CDW disposal. Existing CDW dumpsites predominantly fall within the range of poor to very good for the equal-weighted criteria model, while the weighted criteria model categorizes them into the poor (16.66%) and average (83.33%) categories. The findings demonstrated the applicability of the proposed framework for CDW disposal management and planning.

Integration of LCSA and GIS-based MCDM for sustainable landfill site selection: a case study

The paper aims at developing a framework for decision-support to select a sustainable landfill site in Bardaskan City (Iran) by combining life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) concepts and geographic information system (GIS)-based multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM). Overall, 13 criteria were chosen (three constraints and 10 factors) and classified into three main aspects of sustainability (i.e., environmental, social, and economic) to achieve the research goals. Boolean and fuzzy logic were employed to standardize the classified constraints and factors, respectively. Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to calculate the factors' weights and then suitability maps were produced using the GIS analysis. The layers were combined using simple additive weighting (SAW). Next, the most sustainable sites were obtained. The results indicated that distance from city backline, groundwater depth, and distance from rural areas were the most significant factors with the weight of 0.338, 0.141, and 0.129, respectively. The final map of suitable sites was created by classifying the SAW layer according to 75, 80, and 85% of suitability to show the high, medium, and low priority areas for landfill site selection, respectively. Therefore, integration of LCSA and GIS-based MCDM to select the sustainable landfill site for municipal solid waste (MSW) is highly important, which can be effectively employed in regional and urban planning to select the location of appropriate and sustainable landfills.

Site selection of municipal solid waste incineration plant using GIS and multicriteria decision analysis

Fast population growth and urbanization has increased the generation of municipal solid waste in Oman. Currently, Oman relies on landfills to handle growing amounts of waste, which has burdened the existing solid waste management infrastructure. This situation calls for establishing incineration plants that can considerably reduce the volume of waste, and can simultaneously produce electricity. However, one of the crucial steps in the planning of an incineration plant is the selection of an appropriate site that can overcome environmental and economic implications and eliminate community dissatisfaction. Therefore, to select an optimal site for incineration plant in Muscat and South Batinah governorates, where landfills receive the highest waste amounts per day, this research identified 11 criteria that cover the environmental, economic, and social concerns. These criteria were processed by combining the multicriteria decision making (MCDM) method and geographical information system (GIS) software where the suitability of individual criteria were evaluated and then integrated using the weighted overlay analysis to generate a final suitability map for incineration site selection. The final suitability map indicated that only 2% of the land is suitable for setting up an incineration plant in the study area, and the most suitable location with adequate area was found in Barka wilaya of South Batinah governorate.Implications: Due to the escalation in MSW generation, Oman is looking for alternative strategies to reduce the volume of MSW. This has led to country's interest in establishing a waste-to-energy plant (particularly incineration) in the future. However, locating a suitable site for the installation of an MSW incineration plant in Oman has never been studied before. Therefore, to bridge the gap in knowledge, this research focuses on selecting a suitable site for a municipal solid waste incineration plant using GIS and multicriteria decision analysis. This study highlights the suitability of Muscat and North Batinah governorates of Oman where landfills receive huge amounts of MSW on a daily basis and are close to becoming saturated. Moreover, the suitability of land in both governorates is assessed to overcome environmental and economic implications and eliminate community dissatisfaction. This research not only provides the level of suitability of land in both governorates, but also selects a suitable site, which will be beneficial for the government of Oman in future when making a decision regarding the location of the plant.

Application of ArcGIS and QFD-based model for site selection for bio-medical waste disposal

With the increasing formalisation of the health sector in India, the bio-medical waste (BMW) disposal regulations are getting stringent and its implementation is being enforced strictly. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) created a healthcare crisis because of the highly contagious nature of the novel virus. Measures employed for the prevention and management of COVID-19 resulted in the generation of an unprecedented amount of BMW in Indian medical history. This BMW needs to be disposed of safely at a suitable site to prevent secondary infection and the potential spread of the virus in the environment. The selection of an appropriate site for BMW disposal requires comparing a wide range of social, economic and environmental factors corresponding to different site locations, which makes it a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem. This study aims to solve the BMW site selection problems using a quality function deployment-based model that can consider both the subjective and the objective criteria, and evaluate them as per the user's requirements. The proposed model is applied to evaluate the suitability of waste disposal sites in the city of Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh, India. At first, eight possible locations for BMW disposal are identified, while utilising geographical information system (GIS). Consequently, the developed model is applied to evaluate the identified sites, taking 18 relevant criteria into consideration. A software prototype is developed in Visual BASIC 6 to automate the entire decision-making process, further adding to the novelty of the work.

A spatial decision support system for municipal solid waste landfill sites (case study: The Mazandaran Province, Iran)

Landfilling is an inevitable step for the municipal solid waste (MSW) management system in developing countries. This article presents a Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) that was developed for the monitoring of municipal landfills and siting the new places for waste disposal at Mazandaran province, south of Caspian Sea, Iran. The effective criteria and evaluation constraints were chosen according to the Iran waste management law. The ArcGIS 10.4.1 software was used for creating a geospatial database and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used for ranking the criteria. By integrating the criteria, a suitability map was generated into four categories: high suitability, moderate suitability, low suitability and illegal areas. Using ArcGIS online, the maps were shared on a website that was specifically designed for this purpose. The decision-makers can check online the laws, the effective criteria and the results of spatial analysis for optimal siting. Also, the results of environmental evaluations for active landfills have been provided. Given the characteristics of active landfills and the optimal sites for the possible development, the SDSS can provide a mutually beneficial relationship between the experts, decision-makers and stakeholders to decide about the priority of actions required for the relocation of landfills, site closure or emergency care.

Geographic information system and system dynamics combination technique for municipal solid waste treatment station site selection

The rapid growth of municipal solid waste put pressure on the end treatment facilities, and the site selection of MSW treatment facilities needs to be carefully conducted. This study aims to develop a Standard Operational Procedures (SOP) for municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment station site selection based on GIS and system dynamics combination. System dynamics was used to establish a forecasting model for MSW simulation followed by the spatial analysis method to generate a geographic information system. The MSW simulation in Xiamen city using the system dynamics model proved that the model was with high prediction accuracy. An SOP for GIS-based MSW treatment station site selection was developed. The site selection for MSW comprehensive treatment in Xiamen using GIS and system dynamics screened the locations of the comprehensive solid waste treatment stations in Xiamen and eliminated unsuitable lands using the mapping function of the geographic information system, thus validating the SOP.

Development and application of an analytical framework for mapping probable illegal dumping sites using nighttime light imagery and various remote sensing indices

Illegal dump sites (IDS) pose significant risks to human and the environment and are a pressing issue worldwide. Due to their secretive nature, the detection of IDS is costly and ineffective. In this study, an analytical framework was developed to detect probable IDSs in rural and remote areas using nighttime light (NTL) as a proxy for populated areas. An IDS probability map is produced by aggregation of Landsat-8 and Suomi NPP satellite imagery, multiple-criteria decision-making analysis, and classification tools. Six variables are considered, including modified soil adjusted index, land surface temperature, NTL, highway length, railway length, and the number of landfills. Vulnerability of the inhabitants on reserve lands was assessed using three sample regions. The method appears effective in reducing potential IDSs. Only about 7% of the 31,285 km² study area are identified as probable IDS, being classified as "very high" and "high". Landfills without permit are found more effective in lowering IDS occurrence. Spatial distributions of reserve lands and the maturity of highways network nearby may be more important than the length of railways when assessing the inhabitant vulnerability due to IDS. Highway length is the most decisive factor on IDS probability among all classes, with membership grades ranging from 0.99 to 0.55. Land surface temperature appears less effective for the identification of smaller scale IDS. NTL is more prominent on IDS probability in the "very high" class, with a membership grade of 0.80. The finding suggests that populated areas represented by NTL is a priori of IDS.

A GIS-based multi-criteria fuzzy approach to select a suitable location for a MSW-based power plant and landfill: a case study, Khuzestan province, Iran

The aim of this study was to find the best location for municipal solid waste (MSW)-based power plant and landfill. Another goal was to investigate the energy recovery potential of MSW by anaerobic digestion and recycling process. A combination of multi-criteria fuzzy decision making system was applied in GIS environment to select the most suitable site for MSW-based power plant and landfill. The effective sub-criteria were classified into three main categories of environmental, social, and economic criteria, and fuzzy analytic hierarchy process was used to weight and integrate them. The method was used in a case study to find the best location of MSW-based plant and landfill in Khuzestan province, Iran. Based on the amount of MSW production in this province and as a result, the potential for energy savings by recycling the recyclable part and recovering energy from the digestible part, the amount of fossil fuel that can be saved and the emission of greenhouse gases that can be avoided were estimated. Based on the results, in total, recycling the recyclable portion (dry waste) and producing energy from the digestible portion (wet waste) of MSW in Khuzestan province, leads to avoid burning 7.4 billion MJ of fossil fuels and emitting 644,169 t of CO₂eq GHG. The results also showed that the integration of fuzzy logic and multi-criteria fuzzy decision making system provides more flexibility in choosing the best location for the MSW-based plant. This method is flexible enough and in other situations can include other necessary criteria and can provide a comprehensive guideline for decision makers in choosing the optimal location for a power plant or a landfill.

Site selection and environmental risks assessment of medical solid waste landfill for the City of Kermanshah-Iran

In this study, an integration of multi-criteria evaluation, geographic information system, and remote sensing techniques were used for site selection of medical waste landfills in Kermanshah, Iran. Also, an environmental risk assessment for the selected site has been conducted in order to minimize the possible hazardous. The GIS and remote sensing were used for acquiring and preparing layers and maps and the multi-criteria evaluation was used for setting aim, criteria selection, criteria weighting, and final decision making. The results showed that only 1.2% of the study area is scored high-suitable, while 90% of the area is considered unsuitable that makes this region critical for preservation. After further assessment and field visits, a suitable site was selected for landfilling. Environmental risk assessment showed that the selected site poses a low-level of risks to the environment and surrounding areas and this is because various environmental and health aspects have been considered in the site selection process.

Landfill siting for municipal solid waste using remote sensing and geographic information system integrated analytic hierarchy process and simple additive weighting methods from the point of view of a fast-growing metropolitan area in GAP area of Turkey

The site selection process for municipal solid wastes (MSW) plays an important role in environmental impact studies by allowing the use of environmental design criteria in city and country planning. This process also includes the subject of urban planning due to its impact on the economy, ecology, and environmental health of the region. Urban growth is a phenomenon that is difficult to stop or limit in line with environmental, social, and economic changes and development. Therefore, the selection of solid waste landfill is of great importance in terms of ensuring a sustainable urban future. In the study, Landsat 5 and Landsat 8 satellite images, base map, soil, and geology maps were used for the integration of geospatial data. Each layer specified in the map has been formed using the spatial analysis potential of the ArcGIS10.5 software. In these digitized layers, weight scoring was made using the comparison matrix and the final suitability map was produced. All digital layers established in the generated maps were arranged according to the analytical hierarchy method (AHP) and subjected to the simple additive weighting (SAW) method. The results indicated that 13.51% of the total area was suitable for a sanitary landfill. As a result of this study, urban growth, population projection, and domestic solid waste volume of Sanliurfa province were determined. According to the 25-year population projection, the population in 2045 was approximately 4,471,938 people, and the cumulative waste volume was 27,415,627 m³. In addition, as a result of accepting the wastes of three metropolitan districts and seven district municipalities to the sanitary landfill, only "first candidate area" is the most and has been deemed appropriate. Given the ecological and environmental challenges (proximity to the city center, etc.) associated with the existing MSW sanitary landfill facility in Sanliurfa, the results of this study show that the geographic information system (GIS) integrated AHP and SAW method is an effective tool to assist decision makers to properly plan towards achieving a sustainable environment.

Insights for Landfill Site Selection Using GIS: A Case Study in the Tanjero River Basin, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

The increasing world population and the growing quantity of solid waste have become a challenging problem facing governments and policy makers because of the scarcity of suitable sites for new landfills and the negative perception of these sites by the people. This study aims to evaluate the performance of different Multi-Criteria Decision-Analysis (MCDA) approaches using remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) data for identifying suitable landfill sites (LFSs). We evaluated the methodologies used by various investigators and selected appropriate ones as suitable sites for Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfill in the Tanjero River Basin (TRB) in the Iraqi Kurdistan region. We applied Boolean Overlay (BO), Weighted Sum Method (WSM), Weighted Product Method (WPM), Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and Technique for Order Performance by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to allow combined use of 15 thematic layers as predictive factors (PFs). In this study, we applied the Topographic Position Index (TPI) for the first time to select MSW LFSs. Almost all methods showed reliable results and we identified eight suitable sites situated in the western part of the TRB having total area of ~18.35 km2. The best accuracy was achieved using the AHP approach. This paper emphasizes that the approach of the used method is useful for selecting LFSs in other areas, which are located in similar environments.

Coupling Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision-Making and Clustering Algorithm for MSW Landfill Site Selection (Case Study: Lanzhou, China)

The siting of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfills is a complex decision process. Existing siting methods utilize expert scores to determine criteria weights, however, they ignore the uncertainty of data and criterion weights and the efficacy of results. In this study, a coupled fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) approach was employed to site landfills in Lanzhou, a semi-arid valley basin city in China, to enhance the spatial decision-making process. Primarily, 21 criteria were identified in five groups through the Delphi method at 30 m resolution, then criteria weights were obtained by DEMATEL and ANP, and the optimal fuzzy membership function was determined for each evaluation criterion. Combined with GIS spatial analysis and the clustering algorithm, candidate sites that satisfied the landfill conditions were identified, and the spatial distribution characteristics were analyzed. These sites were subsequently ranked utilizing the MOORA, WASPAS, COPRAS, and TOPSIS methods to verify the reliability of the results by conducting sensitivity analysis. This study is different from the previous research that applied the MCDM approach in that fuzzy MCDM for weighting criteria is more reliable compared to the other common methods.

A worldwide meta-analysis review of restriction criteria for landfill siting using geographic information systems

One of the most crucial parts of solid waste management is determining landfill site location, since multiple factors must be considered and there is no universal formula. The main purpose of this study is to make a worldwide systematic review of restriction criteria used for landfill siting using geographic information systems (GIS). Literature from the last years was thoroughly assessed, and 45 restrictions found were classified as environmental, economic, or social criteria. Our findings show that although the number of articles published has increased recently, they use on average seven restrictions, focusing mainly on environmental over economic and social criteria. In our boxplot statistical analysis, the most frequently used environmental restrictions are the distance from surface water resources (used in 77% of articles), slope (52%), and distance from groundwater founts (40%), with a median of 300 m, 20%, and 250 m, respectively. The most frequently used economic restrictions are distances from roads (60%), airports (40%), and power lines (18%), with medians of 275 m, 3000 m, and 75 m, respectively. The most frequently used social restrictions are distances from urban areas (45%), settlements and residential areas (40%), and cultural heritage or archaeological areas (23%), with medians of 1000 m. This information might help, on the one hand, governments to develop new legislation about landfill siting and on the other hand, decision-makers and scientists to produce new studies with different restrictive scenarios.

A comparison of fuzzy logic and TOPSIS methods for landfill site selection according to field visits, engineering geology approach and geotechnical experiments (case study: Rudbar County, Iran)

The present study evaluated and selected the best location among susceptible landfill sites in Rudbar County using 27 criteria, as the maximum effective criteria, in the decision-making process. The emergence and comparison between the two methods of fuzzy and Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) with an engineering-geological approach have been conducted to obtain the best results. In this regard, inappropriate regions for landfill construction have been restricted after the conflation of two maps based on the restriction criteria. Then, the direction of prevailing winds and proper area for landfill construction was investigated for a 20-year perspective, and the regions that had more than 35-hectare area and were not located in the direction of the prevailing winds have been identified as responsive sites for landfill construction. Ultimately, selected susceptible regions were prioritized separately based on the TOPSIS and fuzzy methods. To ascertain the accuracy of the results and the reality of the resulted models, complementary field studies, geotechnical digging, and engineering-geological experiments have been used as verification parameters. According to the results of the verification, the fuzzy model having maximum matches with the verified data has been suggested for prioritizing susceptible regions.

Evaluation of landfill sites using GIS-based MCDA with hesitant fuzzy linguistic term sets

There are many criteria to be considered in environmental, social, and economic issues for the landfill site selection (LSS). Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) methods are often used to solve complex decision-making problems such as LSS. However, decision-makers (DMs) may hesitate during the evaluation of the landfill sites with possible incorrect evaluation concerns. Therefore, the inclusion of the hesitant fuzzy linguistic term sets (HFLTS), which considers the hesitations in the preferences of DMs, is suitable for the solution of the problem. On the other hand, geographic information systems (GIS) is an important decision support tool that can analyze different types of spatial data. The aim of this study is to evaluate landfill sites. To do so, the applied approach includes the processes of identifying appropriate alternative sites for landfills by combining HFLTS-based MCDA method and GIS and evaluation of alternative sites with Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). The applicability of the proposed approach is tested on Samsun city, Turkey. As a result, scenario analysis, which is dominated by environmental criteria, provides better results dominated by social-economic criteria. Consequently, 12 alternative locations are selected and evaluated for the LSS. Atakum and Canik districts of Samsun city are determined as very suitable locations for landfill sites.

Landfill site selection using multi criteria decision making: Influential factors for comparing locations

Although a lot of research has focused on energy recovery and recycling of valuable materials from wastes to reduce loads on landfills, landfilling is still an inseparable part of solid waste management. Since landfills potentially pose a risk to human health and the surrounding environment, landfill site selection is an important endeavor that has to be carried out with great care. Choosing a suitable location for landfills depends on several factors and is a complicated procedure. In this paper, a comprehensive review of landfill site selection methods, with an emphasis on multi criteria decision making (multiple criteria decision analysis) has been presented. Assessments indicate that the most frequently used methods are weighted linear combination (WLC), ordered weighted averaging (OWA), analytic hierarchy process (AHP), fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (F-AHP), TODIM, fuzzy TODIM, analytic network process (ANP), fuzzy-analytic network process (F-ANP), and grey systems theory, each of which is discussed. The most widely used factors for selecting a landfill site are groundwater depth, surface water vicinity, elevation, land slope, soil permeability, soil stability, flooding susceptibility, lithology and stratification, faults, land use type, nearby settlements and urbanization, cultural and protected site vicinity, wind direction, roads, railways, proximity to building materials, pipelines and powerlines, and proximity to airports.

Selection of MSW landfill site by fuzzy-AHP approach combined with GIS: case study in Ahvaz, Iran

The study was aimed to use fuzzy multi-criteria decision making integrated with GIS to select the optimum location for municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill sites that comply with standard landfill guidelines and environmental and socio-economic criteria. Fuzzy logic and, in particular, fuzzy sets were applied to create the criteria layers in GIS and to weigh and integrate these layers in GIS. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was also used to determine the land suitability for landfill. The method was used as a case study to determine the location of landfills in the suburbs of Ahvaz, Iran. According to the results, transportation networks and residential and commercial areas were the most influential factors on the placement of landfills, with a final weight of 0.163 and 0.131, respectively. Areas near roads and transportation networks but far from the sensitive environmental zones were most suitable for landfill. Finally, 11 sites that met the defined requirements were selected as suitable locations for MSW landfill. This technique and its results can provide a proper guideline to help decision makers choose the optimal landfill site in the future. Depending on their importance in each region, the methodology can incorporate other factors and criteria.

Implementation of fuzzy, Simos and strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis for municipal solid waste landfill site selection: Adana City case study

The selection of suitable landfill locations for municipal solid waste has become a top priority, especially in developed countries as a result of rapid population growth, unplanned urbanisation, increasing waste production and the limited area available. However, determining the location of landfill sites is a complex decision-making problem for municipalities and depends on social, environmental, technical and economic factors and regulations. In this study, we combined a geographic information system (GIS), multi-criteria decision-analysis techniques and fuzzy logic to determine the best location for landfill sites in Adana, Turkey, in four steps. Firstly, the threshold values and the coefficient weights of 15 criteria, grouped into environmental and socio-economic factors, were determined by a literature review and expert opinion to select suitable landfill locations. Secondly, selection criteria were standardised using fuzzy logic. Thirdly, we assessed the criteria weights based on their effectiveness on the selection of potential landfill sites using the Simos method. According to the weight coefficients, environmental factors are more important than socio-economic factors. Final maps for each criterion were calculated and overlaid by a GIS. As a result, the final suitability results were divided into four discrete categories: very high, high, moderate and low suitability areas, representing 1%, 76%, 17% and 6% of the location options, respectively. Finally, four different alternative areas were identified as being very highly suitable for landfill locations, which were evaluated in detail using a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis. Three key aspects affect the final decision of a landfill site, in decreasing order of importance: environmental protection, minimising the negative impact on urban life quality and economic issues. Consequently, these results can guide decision-makers (ministries, municipalities, planners, etc.) during the selection of suitable landfill sites in both national and international studies.

Landfill site selection in Makkah using geographic information system and analytical hierarchy process

Municipal solid waste is a problem to developed and developing cities in the world. If municipal solid waste is not managed well, it can be a source of numerous contaminants to water, air, and soil. Although landfill is at the bottom in terms of priorities of municipal solid waste management techniques, its applicability cannot be neglected in developing economies. Landfill site selection is a hard puzzle comprised of political, social, economic, and environmental factors. Makkah, Saudi Arabia, is targeting 30 million pilgrims by 2030, putting the city in a difficult circumstance: More pilgrims, more municipal solid waste. The current dump site, Kakia, is expected to be full by 2020; thus, there is a need to locate a new landfill site. In 20 years, Makkah is expected to produce 44 million tonnes of municipal solid waste, which requires approximately a 7.5 m × 5,874,000 square meter landfill capacity. In this study, a geographic information system, analytical hierarchy process, vertical electrical sounding, and ground-penetrating radar are applied to select the best new landfill site for Makkah. By combining these techniques, there are three suitable site locations: (39°36 ́38.45 ́ ́E: 21°18 ́26.46 ́ ́N), (39°37 ́54.07 ́ ́E: 21°19 ́35.25 ́ ́N), and (39°44 ́04.45 ́ ́E: 21°13 ́08.93 ́ ́N). These sites have a considerable depth to water table of 12 m. Therefore, the city of Makkah should use these findings to establish a sanitary landfill.

Siting and ranking municipal landfill sites in regional scale using nighttime satellite imagery

In 2016, about 24.9 million tonnes of solid waste were disposed of in Canadian landfills, where landfill technology is a common choice. This study aims to develop a data-driven GIS-based method that considers spatial, environmental, and economic constraints using study regions derived from night time light data for a 40 km buffer around Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Unlike other similar studies, this site suitability study assumes no political or administrative boundaries as inputs. Road network stands as the most decisive factor that accounts for 0.239 of entire weight, followed by protective areas with a total weight of 0.220. The regions that ranked the best for siting new landfills were generally located far from predominant water resources and protected areas, but are in the vicinity of major road networks, but are also far from urbanized regions. The sensitivity analysis showed that, overall, road network and protected areas are the most essential layers in this analysis. For the environmental group, protected areas and water resources are major layers. For the economic group, road network and surface temperature are the most important. The method presented in this study can easily accommodate other data sets based on importance in any given area.

GIS-based MCDM modeling for landfill site suitability analysis: A comprehensive review of the literature

One of the cheapest and proper methods for the ultimate disposal of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is landfilling. However, determining the location of landfill sites is a difficult and complex task due to depending on social, environmental, technical, economic, and legal factors. To solve the aforementioned challenges related to the landfill site suitability analysis, the combinations of Geographic Information System (GIS) and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) have been studied by academia and applied by experts over the years. This notice is apparent by the large number of academic papers which have been announced in the near future. To provide a framework of the existing literature, and to guide colleagues, a state-of-the-art of recent papers is crucial. The goal of this study is to review all scientific papers in GIS-based MCDM modeling for landfill site suitability analysis in academic journals. A total of 106 studies published between 2005 and 2019 are recorded and surveyed. The studies are then investigated and classified by a generated taxonomy including following categories: GIS software, application area, uncertainty, MCDM techniques, cell sizes in GIS, and criteria. Based on the review conducted, it is observed that while Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Weighted Linear Combination (WLC) are the most widely used MCDM methods for weighting the criteria and ranking the alternatives, respectively. On the other hand, while environmental dimension is the most commonly preferred main criteria, surface water comes first in the sub-criteria pool. Criteria analysis shows that surface and ground water, geology, land use, distance to fault zone, distance to urban areas, and distance to road and slope are the most commonly used criteria groups among others. These classifications and observations are helpful for identifying research gaps in the current literature and provide insights for future modeling and research efforts in the field.

Landfill site selection using a hybrid system of AHP-Fuzzy in GIS environment: A case study in Shiraz city, Iran

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The utility of novel technologies seems imperative to select a suitable site for landfill as new criteria are increased.

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Distance to residential area and groundwaters with weight of 0.36 and 0.28 were recognized as the most important criteria for landfill site selection.

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The six suitable areas for landfill in Shiraz county is 1.003% of total area equal to 8710 ha.

Landfilling with simplicity and economic advantages is the most common element for waste management in both developed and developing countries. Landfill site selection in a proper way is an important municipal planning process which prevent environmental issues including water pollution imposed for insanitary landfills. The present research was developed to exhibit a simplified method of multi criteria decision making (MCDM) and Fuzzy memberships in GIS environment to ascertain best landfill sites for Shiraz county, located south of Iran. 15 most common sub-criteria, documented in literature and implicated by Iranian environmental protection organization (IEPO) including surface water, ground water, land use, distance to well, soil type, slope, protected area, fault in environmental group, residential area, road, airport, village, infrastructure, historical area, wind direction in socio-economical group were selected and the weight of each criterion was determined based on expert’s knowledge with use of analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The results of the present research are as follows:

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Distance to residential area and groundwaters with weight of 0.36 and 0.28 were recognized as the most important criteria for landfill site selection.

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The six suitable areas for landfill in Shiraz county is 1.003% of total area equal to 8710 ha.

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AHP and Fuzzy memberships has a great potential and ability for landfill site selection.

Improving the food waste composting facilities site selection for sustainable development using a hybrid modified MADM model

With the growth of population and the development of urbanization, waste management has always been a critical global issue. Recently, more and more countries have found that food waste constitutes the majority of municipal waste, if they are disposed of properly, will bring more benefits in sustainable development. Regarding the issue of selecting and improving the location to make the disposal facility towards achieving the aspiration level for sustainable development, since it involves multiple and complicated interaction factors about environment, society, and economy which have to be considered properly in the decision-making process of mutual influence relationship. It is basically a multiple attribute decision making (MADM) issue, a difficult problem which has been obsessing the governments of many countries is widely studied and discussed. This study uses the new hybrid modified MADM model, as follows, first to build an influential network relation map (INRM) via DEMATEL technique, next to confirm the influential weightings via DANP (DEMATEL-based ANP), and then to construct a decision-making model via a hybrid modified VIKOR method to improve and select the location for remaining the best disposal facilities. Finally, an empirical case study is illustrated to demonstrate that the proposed model can be effective and useful. In finding the process of decision making, environmental pollution is the main concern of many people in the area, but actually it is the resistance by the general public that has to be considered with first priority.

Multi-criteria decision making to support waste management: A critical review of current practices and methods

Solid waste management is a complex domain involving the interaction of several dimensions; thus, its analysis and control impose continuous challenges for decision makers. In this context, multi-criteria decision-making models have become important and convenient supporting tools for solid waste management because they can handle problems involving multiple dimensions and conflicting criteria. However, the selection of the multi-criteria decision-making method is a hard task since there are several multi-criteria decision-making approaches, each one with a large number of variants whose applicability depends on information availability and the aim of the study. Therefore, to support researchers and decision makers, the objectives of this article are to present a literature review of multi-criteria decision-making applications used in solid waste management, offer a critical assessment of the current practices, and provide suggestions for future works. A brief review of fundamental concepts on this topic is first provided, followed by the analysis of 260 articles related to the application of multi-criteria decision making in solid waste management. These studies were investigated in terms of the methodology, including specific steps such as normalisation, weighting, and sensitivity analysis. In addition, information related to waste type, the study objective, and aspects considered was recorded. From the articles analysed it is noted that studies using multi-criteria decision making in solid waste management are predominantly addressed to problems related to municipal solid waste involving facility location or management strategy.