Combining GIS and AHP models for landfill site selection in Niğde, Turkey

Abstract

Nowadays, the quick development of technology and the increase in migration from rural areas to urban areas have transformed cities into populous living places. With the increasing population, urbanization ratio and changing consumption habits, natural environment and energy problems are expanding in cities. These problems that arise in the cities not only negatively affect the economic and social life, but also affect the welfare of the people living in the city and bring many problems for local governments. With the unplanned urbanization and the environmental problems, solid waste landfill sites have started to stay within the settlement areas. GIS and MCDM have become an effective and important tool in solving environmental and spatial problems as well as in many other problems. With the integration of GIS and MCDM, suitable site selections can be made in terms of economic and environmental aspects. For this purpose, in this study; Solid waste landfill site selection study was carried out for Niğde province by using Analytical Hierarchy Method (AHP) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). In this context, 9 evaluation criteria such as elevation, slope, geology/lithology, land use, proximity to roads, distance to settlements, protected areas, rivers and water surfaces were used to determine potential solid waste landfill areas.