The choice of optimal sites for controlled landfill using the Analytical Hierarchy Process and the Geographic Information System: A case of Oum Azza in Morocco

Abstract

Depending on the technical, institutional, economic and social limits of developing countries, as well as the population density in cities, nowadays, the volume of urban waste has increased considerably, and the management of this waste contributes to climate change, and air pollution, it directly affects many ecosystems and many species. Waste management faces serious problems such as irregular collection, informal sweeping activities, uncontrolled dumping and proliferation of illegal dumping. The latter constitute a real and permanent threat to the quality of life, this exponential increase in the urban population and the resulting accelerated phenomenon of urbanization have highlighted the need to develop sustainable and efficient waste management systems. Stakeholders are therefore required to consider alternative and available means of disposal, in particular by minimizing the damage caused to the ecosystem and to the human population, among these means of disposal, controlled landfills, considered as the last option in the waste hierarchy. In this study, attempts were made to locate a new landfill in Oum Azza using the AHP multi-criteria decision-making method to assess the different criteria considered during the prospecting and combining them with the geographic information system to acquire the results in the form of maps displayed on the optimal sites to house a new controlled landfill and minimize its terrible impact on the environment.