Application of GIS/AHP in siting sanitary landfill: a case study in Northern Cyprus

Abstract

The present study utilized a multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) method in a geographical information systems (GIS) environment to evaluate the suitability of potential landfill sites in Northern Cyprus. To determine the most suitable landfill site, one of the MCE techniques, called analytical hierarchy process (AHP), was combined with a GIS to examine 12 criteria: distance from waste generation centres; distance from roads; slope; distance from surface waters; distance from groundwater areas; distance from environmentally sensitive areas; vegetation types; soil productivity; soil permeability; distance from settlements; distance from cultural sites; distance from stone quarries. The relative importance weights of these criteria were estimated using AHP and criteria maps were developed by using GIS spatial analysis. At the final stage two different suitability maps were produced using two different groups of weights. The first group suitability map had 11 052 (ha) with high suitability class, whereas the high suitability areas decreased to 5982 (ha) in the second group. Moreover, the seven potential sites identified within the first group decreased to four in the second suitability map. However, potential sites such as Gungor, Degirmenlik, Kirklar and Cayonu had similarities with higher suitability values and these same locations were regarded as suitable according to the both first and second suitability map results.

A Simplified Multi-Criteria Evaluation Model for Landfill Site Ranking and Selection Based on Ahp and Gis

“…The siting of MSW landfill is a spatial multi-criteria decision analysis (SMCDA) for which both GIS and MCDA methods should be used (Kontos et al 2005). Some relevant studies on landfill siting and solid waste management have integrated GIS and MCDA in various ways which also include analytic hierarchy process(AHP) using weighted linear combination (WLC) (Carver 1991;Siddiqui et al 1996;Charnpratheep et al 1997;Kao et al 1997;Lukasheh et al 2001;Kontos et al 2003Kontos et al , 2005Higgs 2006;Şener et al 2006;Chang et al 2008;Delgado et al 2008;Wang et al 2009;Şener et al 2010;Kara, Doratli 2012;Yildirim 2012;Achillas et al 2013;Allesch, Brunner 2014;Demosouka et al 2014).…”

A comprehensive study on landfill site selection for Kolkata City, India

“…With the evolution of remote sensing and GIS techniques, several researchers have focused their application in a multicriterion decision analysis situation such as landfilling site selection. The researchers include Natesan and Suresh (2002), Patil et al (2002), Nishanth et al (2010), Raghupati (1999), Sener et al (2010), Despotakis and Economopoulos (2007), Yagoub and Buyong (1998), and Kara and Doratli (2012).…”

Mapping uncertainty from multi-criteria analysis of land development suitability, the case of Howth, Dublin

“…A review of recent literature shows the use of GIS incorporating MCA techniques for improving decision-making in relation to land use suitability is well documented (Benke & Pelizaro, 2010;Grandmont, Cardille, Fortier, & Gibéryen, 2012;Kara & Doratli, 2012;Soltani, Mahiny, Monavari, & Alesheikh, 2013;Sposito, Benke, Pelizaro, & Wyatt, 2009) due to the ability to combine geographical data stakeholders preferences in relation to the importance of environmental factors. Whilst there are clear and multiple references to methods for determining land suitability in the literature, much less attention is given to the consideration of uncertainty within this process.…”