Volume 2, Issue 1 — Year 2025 — Article e100036

ISSN (Online): 3115-8129 Biannually

Landfill Site Selection using GIS: Geological and Geoenvironmental Criteria for Feyzabad, Iran

Article Type: Case Study
Pages: e100036
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22034/CGEL.2.1.e100036

Authors
Affiliations
  1. Department of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems, Islamic Azad University E-Campus, Tehran 1946854613, Iran
  2. Department of Civil Engineering, University Collage of Nabi Akram (UCNA), Tabriz 5183919611, Iran
Corresponding author
Email: hamed.mahmidi75@gmail.com
Received: 18 March 2025 / Accepted: 22 May 2025 / Published: 14 June 2025
Abstract

Effective landfill site selection is crucial for sustainable waste management and minimizing environmental risks. Geographic Information System (GIS)-based approaches have become essential tools in evaluating potential landfill locations by integrating geological, environmental, and geo-environmental criteria. This study focuses on the selection of an optimal landfill site for Feyzabad, Razavi Khorasan, Iran, using a GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA). The methodology involves identifying suitable landfill sites by considering geological, environmental and Geoenvironmental factors. Data from remote sensing, topographic maps, and field surveys were processed using GIS spatial analysis tools to generate suitability maps. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was applied to weight different factors based on their relative importance. The results highlight the most suitable landfill locations that comply with regulatory and sustainability standards while minimizing environmental hazards. The findings of this study provide a scientific and practical framework for policymakers and urban planners to make informed decisions regarding waste disposal infrastructure. The GIS-based methodology ensures a systematic and objective selection process, reducing potential socio-environmental conflicts. Future research should consider additional socio-economic factors and climate change projections to further refine landfill site selection strategies.

Keywords

Landfill site selection, GIS, Geological criteria, Environmental impact, Geoenvironmental analysis

Data availability statement

The data supporting the findings of this study are available within article. No publicly archived dataset was generated.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Highlights
  • GIS and AHP select optimal landfill sites
  • Multi-criteria analysis reduces environmental risks
  • Results support sustainable waste management planning
References
  1. Abadi L.S.D., Mehr J.F., Azarakhshi M. (2022). Investigating the Effect of planting Haloxylon aphyllum on the Physical and Chemical Properties of Soil (Case study: rangelands of Mahvelat county). Journal of Arid Biome, 12(2), 69-82. https://doi.org/10.29252/aridbiom.2023.20082.1935.
  2. Abujayyab S.K., Ahamad M.S.S., Yahya A.S., Bashir M.J., Aziz H.A. (2016). GIS modelling for new landfill sites: critical review of employed criteria and methods of selection criteria. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 37(1), 012053. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/37/1/012053.
  3. Aghanabati A. (2012). Geology of Iran. Geological Survey of Iran press, Tehran, Iran.
  4. Akbari V., Rajabi M.A., Chavoshi S.H., Shams R. (2008). Landfill site selection by combining GIS and fuzzy multi criteria decision analysis, case study: Bandar Abbas, Iran. World Applied Sciences Journal, 3(1), 39-47.
  5. Ali S.A., Parvin F., Al-Ansari N., Pham Q. B., Ahmad A., Raj M.S., Thai V.N. (2021). Sanitary landfill site selection by integrating AHP and FTOPSIS with GIS: a case study of Memari Municipality, India. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28, 7528-7550. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-11004-7.
  6. Andriani D., Atmaja T.D. (2019). The potentials of landfill gas production: a review on municipal solid waste management in Indonesia. Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management, 21, 1572-1586. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-019-00895-5.
  7. Azarafza M., Asghari-Kaljahi E., Moshrefy-far M.R. (2015). Effects of clay nanoparticles added to the bonab landfill soil to reduce the permeability and control of leachate. Iranian Journal of Environmental Geology, 8(26), 7-18.
  8. Badri M.A. (2001). A combined AHP–GP model for quality control systems. International Journal of Production Economics, 72(1), 27-40. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0925-5273(00)00077-3.
  9. Butt T.E., Lockley E., Oduyemi K.O. (2008). Risk assessment of landfill disposal sites–State of the art. Waste Management, 28(6), 952-964. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2007.05.012.
  10. Darko A., Chan A.P.C., Ameyaw E.E., Owusu E.K., Pärn E., Edwards D.J. (2019). Review of application of analytic hierarchy process (AHP) in construction. International Journal of Construction Management, 19(5), 436-452. https://doi.org/10.1080/15623599.2018.1452098.
  11. Davoli E., Fattore E., Paiano V., Colombo A., Palmiotto M., Rossi A.N., Fanelli R. (2010). Waste management health risk assessment: A case study of a solid waste landfill in South Italy. Waste Management, 30(8-9), 1608-1613. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2009.10.013.
  12. de FSM Russo R., Camanho R. (2015). Criteria in AHP: A systematic review of literature. Procedia Computer Science, 55, 1123-1132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2015.07.081.
  13. Dermani H.R.K., Eskandari F.M. (2016). A Sociological Study of Religious Tourism in Khorasan Province. Journal of Tourism Hospitality Research, 5(1), 55-72.
  14. Donevska K., Jovanovski J., Gligorova L. (2021). Comprehensive review of the landfill site selection methodologies and criteria. Journal of the Indian Institute of Science, 101(4), 509-521. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41745-021-00228-2.
  15. Eskandari M., Homaee M., Mahmoodi S., Pazira E., Van Genuchten M.T. (2015). Optimizing landfill site selection by using land classification maps. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 22, 7754-7765. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4182-7.
  16. Gallo M. (2019). An optimisation model to consider the NIMBY syndrome within the landfill siting problem. Sustainability, 11(14), 3904. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143904.
  17. Geological Survey of Iran (2009). Geological maps of Mahvelat County: scales 1:100,000. Geological Survey of Iran, maps units, Tehran, Iran.
  18. Ghazifard A., Nikoobakht S., Azarafza M. (2016). Municipal waste landfill site selection based on environmental, geological and geotechnical multi-criteria: a case Study. Iranian Journal of Environmental Technology, 2(1), 49-67.
  19. Grasso D. (2017). Hazardous Waste Site Remediation. Routledge,Oxfordshire, England, UK. https://doi.org/10.1201/9780203752265.
  20. Javaheri H., Nasrabadi T., Jafarian M.H., Rowshan G.R., Khoshnam H. (2007). Site selection of municipal solid waste landfills using analytical hierarchy process method in a geographical information technology environment in Giroft. Iranian Journal of Environmental Health Science & Engineering, 3(3), 177-184.
  21. Kamaruddin M.A., Yusoff M.S., Rui L.M., Isa A.M., Zawawi M.H., Alrozi R. (2017). An overview of municipal solid waste management and landfill leachate treatment: Malaysia and Asian perspectives. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 24, 26988-27020. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0303-9.
  22. Kareem L.S., Al-Mamoori S.K., Al-Maliki L.A., Al-Dulaimi M.Q., Al-Ansari N. (2021). Optimum location for landfills landfill site selection using GIS technique: Al-Naja city as a case study. Cogent Engineering, 8(1), 1863171. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311916.2020.1863171.
  23. Kharat M.G., Kamble S.J., Raut R.D., Kamble S.S. (2016). Identification and evaluation of landfill site selection criteria using a hybrid Fuzzy Delphi, Fuzzy AHP and DEMATEL based approach. Modeling Earth Systems and Environment, 2, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-016-0171-1.
  24. Klein R., Baumann T., Kahapka E., Niessner R. (2001). Temperature development in a modern municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) bottom ash landfill with regard to sustainable waste management. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 83(3), 265-280. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3894(01)00188-1.
  25. Komilis D.P., Ham R.K., Stegmann R. (1999). The effect of municipal solid waste pretreatment on landfill behavior: a literature review. Waste Management and Research, 17(1), 10-19. https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1399-3070.1999.00005.x.
  26. Laner D., Crest M., Scharff H., Morris J.W., Barlaz M.A. (2012). A review of approaches for the long-term management of municipal solid waste landfills. Waste Management, 32(3), 498-512. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2011.11.010.
  27. Mat N.A., Benjamin A.M., Abdul-Rahman S. (2017). A review on criteria and decision-making techniques in solving landfill site selection problems. Journal of Advanced Review on Scientific Research, 37(1), 14-32.
  28. Mirzabeygi M., Yousefi N., Abbasnia A., Youzi H., Alikhani M., Mahvi A.H. (2017). Evaluation of groundwater quality and assessment of scaling potential and corrosiveness of water supply networks, Iran. Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology—AQUA, 66(6), 416-425. https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2017.128.
  29. Nanda S., Berruti F. (2021). Municipal solid waste management and landfilling technologies: a review. Environmental Chemistry Letters, 19(2), 1433-1456. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-020-01100-y.
  30. Pandiyan P., Murugesan A., Vidhyadevi T., Dineshkirupha S., Pulikesi M., Sivanesan S. (2011). A decision making tool for hazardous waste landfill site selection. American Journal of Environmental Sciences, 7(2), 119.
  31. Parsasadr H., Nikpeyman V., Nassery H.R. (2016). Management of groundwater resources of Mahvelat-Faizabad aquifer and evaluation of extent of saline water zone using numerical simulation. Water Harvesting Research, 1(1), 52-62. https://doi.org/10.22077/jwhr.2017.377.
  32. Perenich M.A., Carraway E. (2021). Landfill Gas Energy: Trash That Brings Treasure. BSc Thesis, Clemson University, South Carolina, USA.
  33. Rabiei-Dastjerdi H., Zarghani S.H., Azami H., Heydari A., Janparvar M., Jafari F. (2021). Spatial distribution of regional infrastructures in the northeast of Iran using GIS and Mic Mac observation (A case of Khorasan Razavi province). Heliyon, 7(6), e07119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07119.
  34. Rahmat Z.G., Niri M.V., Alavi N., Goudarzi G., Babaei A.A., Baboli Z., Hosseinzadeh M. (2017). Landfill site selection using GIS and AHP: a case study: Behbahan, Iran. KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering, 21(1), 111-118. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-016-0296-9.
  35. Salleh A.H., Ahamad M.S.S., Yusoff M.S., Aziz H.A. (2017). Multiple criteria landfill site selection method incorporating the NIMBY factors. AIP Conference Proceedings, 1892(1), 130003. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5005759.
  36. Şener B., Süzen M.L., Doyuran V. (2006). Landfill site selection by using geographic information systems. Environmental Geology, 49, 376-388. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-0075-2.
  37. Şener Ş., Şener E., Nas B., Karagüzel R. (2010). Combining AHP with GIS for landfill site selection: a case study in the Lake Beyşehir catchment area (Konya, Turkey). Waste Management, 30(11), 2037-2046. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2010.05.024.
  38. Simsek C., Elci A., Gunduz O., Taskin N. (2014). An improved landfill site screening procedure under NIMBY syndrome constraints. Landscape and Urban Planning, 132, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2014.08.007.
  39. Sumathi V.R., Natesan U., Sarkar C. (2008). GIS-based approach for optimized siting of municipal solid waste landfill. Waste Management, 28(11), 2146-2160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2007.09.032.
  40. Uyan M. (2014). MSW landfill site selection by combining AHP with GIS for Konya, Turkey. Environmental Earth Sciences, 71, 1629-1639. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2567-9.
  41. Vasiljević T.Z., Srdjević Z., Bajčetić R., Miloradov M.V. (2012). GIS and the analytic hierarchy process for regional landfill site selection in transitional countries: a case study from Serbia. Environmental Management, 49, 445-458. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-011-9792-3.
  42. Vaverková M.D. (2019). Landfill impacts on the environment. Geosciences, 9(10), 431. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences9100431.
  43. Wang Y., Li J., An D., Xi B., Tang J., Wang Y., Yang Y. (2018). Site selection for municipal solid waste landfill considering environmental health risks. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 138, 40-46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2018.07.008.
  44. Warith M.A. (2003). Solid waste management: new trends in landfill design. Emirates Journal for Engineering Research, 8(1), 61-70.
  45. Yal G.P., Akgün H. (2013). Landfill site selection and landfill liner design for Ankara, Turkey. Environmental Earth Sciences, 70, 2729-2752. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2334-y.
  46. Yoshimatsu H., Abe S. (2006). A review of landslide hazards in Japan and assessment of their susceptibility using an analytical hierarchic process (AHP) method. Landslides, 3(2), 149-158. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-005-0031-y.
How to cite
Yosefian, A., & Mahmodi, H. (2025). Landfill Site Selection using GIS: Geological and Geoenvironmental Criteria for Feyzabad, Iran. Civil and Geoengineering Letters, 2(1), e100036. https://doi.org/10.22034/CGEL.2.1.e100036
Note: Please verify the citation against your preferred style guide.
Article Metrics
1099 Readers
641 Downloads
N/A Citations