PurposeThe study aimed to use geographic information system (GIS) based multi-criteria decision making analysis (GIS-MCDA) to select areas suitable for siting landfills in Ashanti region. It also sought to ascertain variables most sensitive to the siting of landfill in the region.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilized GIS-based Multi-criteria decision making analysis –AHP to model and select areas most suitable to siting landfills within the region. Overall, 16 variables including wind speed and hydraulic conductivity (which were previously neglected in landfill siting in Ghana) were identified through comprehensive literature review. These variables were weighted using AHP method and integrated using the weighted linear combination (WLC) in GIS environment to develop five sub-models: the physical environmental, sociocultural, economic/technical, climatic and hydrogeological sub-models. These sub-models were further weighted and then integrated to derive the final suitability model.FindingsResults show that 13% (3,067 km2) of the region was identified as most suitable to siting engineered landfills. The study also identified 11 sites which are considered most suitable for situating landfills. On a sensitivity angle, hydrogeological (R2 = 0.5923; p = 0.003) and physical environmental sub-model (R2 = 0.254; p = 0.034) significantly predicted the final suitability model developed.Practical implicationsGhana's Landfill Guidelines seeks to optimize site selection and ancillary services that culminate into achieving sanitary landfills by 2020. Evidence still abounds on the unsuitability of existing and in some cases, new landfill sites presenting environmental and social negative impacts. The comprehensive evaluation of most crucial variables – social and environmental factors that determine an optimal landfill location – will be of immense help to policy planners like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) towards upgraded landfills. The authors hope that, concerned agencies will adopt the model in the study and integrate into their existing landfill suitability modeling techniques to provide a more grounded framework that optimizes landfill site selection within the study area.Originality/valueThis study is the first attempt to consider a regional-level waste collection site selection in Ghana using comprehensive sets of social and environmental factors and will therefore contribute immensely to EPA's goal of achieving upgraded landfills by 2022.