Abstract

Having the right locations to put solid waste is a cornerstone of good urban planning, responsible environmental management, and waste management systems that align with longer term sustainability objectives. This study employed an integrated approach combining Geographic Information Systems with Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis to evaluate potential landfill locations in a systematic and quantitative manner. The model weighs a whole range of environmental, social, and technical factors, including distance to residential communities, compatibility with land use, geological considerations, as well as risks to the environmental sites. GIS was used to map and interrogate spatial data, while the MCDA methods; Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Weighted Sum Model (WSM) were used to rank potential sites. The model promotes an organized and transparent assessment process for decision-making, and reduces environmental risk and regulator compliance liability. The GIS and MCDA model was applied to a study area to illustrate a practical example of how a landfill site can be systematically assessed based on multi-criteria. This research provided a useful tool to urban planners and policy makers involved with sustainable waste disposal site management.