Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for a Landfill Site Selection in Chachapoyas and Huancas (NW Peru): Modeling in a GIS-RS Environment

Abstract

The evaluation of suitable landfill sites is a complex process and requires various legislative, technical, social, and environmental criteria. Therefore, this study provides a management tool for identifying suitable sites for landfills through the integrated use of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), geographic information systems (GISs), and remote sensing (RS). Accordingly, fourteen subcriteria were identified and grouped into physical (7), environmental (3), and socioeconomic (4) criteria and were weighed using pairwise comparison matrices (PCMs). The weighted linear combination (WLC) approach of maps allowed us to generate models and submodels of land suitability. From the territory of the districts of Chachapoyas and Huancas, 0.9% (1.71 km2), 71.1% (141.89 km2), 21.0% (41.86 km2), 0.0%, and 7.7% (14.21 km2) have highly suitable, moderately suitable, marginally suitable, unsuitable, and restricted conditions, respectively, for a landfill site. Twelve highly suitable sites were identified, of which three were selected based on their shape and the minimum area required for the operation of the landfill until 2040. In fact, this study proposes a management tool for decision-makers (DMs) that improve the process of selecting landfill sites, supported by engineering and its applications for territorial sustainability.