Optimizing landfill siting in Lilongwe City through integration of geospatial analysis and community perspectives

Rapid urbanization and population growth in Lilongwe City have significantly increased solid waste generation, straining existing waste management infrastructure and exacerbating environmental and public health risks. The current dumpsite in Area 38 is inadequate due to its close proximity to residential neighborhoods and critical water resources. This study employed a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) framework, integrating Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), to identify optimal locations for a new engineered landfill. In addition to technical spatial suitability analysis, based on environmental, infrastructural, and geophysical criteria, the study incorporated community perspectives through structured household surveys conducted near potential landfill zones. The spatial analysis identified 11% of the city as highly suitable, 20% as suitable, and 43% as moderately suitable for landfill development. Community responses revealed three distinct typologies—Health-Conscious, Economic-Focused, and Environmentally-Conscious, each with unique values and concerns. A multilevel logistic regression model revealed that landfill acceptance was significantly and positively associated with perceived employment opportunities (OR = 1.82, p < 0.001), trust in governance (OR = 1.57, p < 0.001), and awareness of the site selection process (OR = 1.35, p = 0.020). Conversely, acceptance was negatively influenced by perceived health risks (OR = 0.45, p < 0.001) and ecological sensitivity (OR = 0.61, p < 0.001). These findings underscore the importance of integrating both technical geospatial assessments and social acceptability considerations in landfill siting to enhance sustainability, minimize conflict, and foster public trust.