Site selection for sustainable solid waste management using GIS-based spherical fuzzy multi-criteria decision analysis

Abstract The amount and variety of solid waste produced are increasing globally driven by a combination of factors such as population growth, urbanization, industrialization and rising living standards. To minimize the damage caused by this waste in various ways, its recycling should be enhanced. One of the key components of the infrastructure required for an effective recycling process is the proper separation and collection of waste. This study aims to identify the suitable sites for mobile household waste recycling centers in Atakum, a district of Samsun city, Türkiye. These centers facilitate the separation and collection of glass, plastic, metal, paper, electronic and battery waste. The strategic placement of these centers is considered as a critical factor that directly affects the quantity of waste collected. For this purpose, the criteria influencing the siting of mobile household waste recycling centers were first identified, and they were weighted using the Spherical Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (SF-AHP). C8 (population density) was the most significant criterion, with a value of 0.182, while C4 (distance from the coast) had the lowest weight at 0.089. Subsequently, 14 suitable locations were identified using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and ranked through Multi Attributive Ideal-Real Comparative Analysis (MAIRCA). Finally, comparative and sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the results under varying conditions. The findings demonstrate that the proposed approach remains generally robust despite the changes. It is anticipated that this study will serve as a reference for addressing solid waste management challenges in other developing countries.