Optimization of Landfill Site Selection for Municipal Solid Waste by Using GIS and AHP: A Case Study in Kumbakonam, Tamilnadu, India

Abstract

Locating a suitable solid waste filling site has been a major problem within the municipal environment. It is one of the most sensitive issues in waste management is the selection of a suitable location for the landfill site. The aim of this research is to show how application of geographic information system and Analytic Hierarchy Process(AHP)helps in locating solid waste filling in Kumbakonam town.in which criteria such as distance from settlement, distance from roads, distance from protected area, land use/ land cover, distance from water bodies, distance from faults, population density, etc. were used and after data geo referencing, the weighting of the criteria and adjusting them with the geographical features of the area, data overlaid and finally three locations proposed for landfill were identified in Kumbakonam town.Relative importance weight of each criteria inside the geographic information system and Analytic hierarchy system was determined and the suitability map became organized.one of the studies that has been made is the dialogue of the advent of a dynamic model for suitable land filling site selection.Fields obtained as a result of the analysis are classified as follows: unsuitable,very suitable, and unauthorized land. In light of legal restrictions, 70% of the study area is classified as unsuitable area. 28% of the study area was un authorized land, 2% of area classified as very suitable area.The obtained results of this study may be helpful for policy makers of Kumbakonam town.