Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Macro and micro geo-spatial environment consideration for landfill site selection in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Waste management involves various procedures and resources for proper handling of waste materials in compliance with health codes and environmental regulations. Landfills are one of the oldest, most convenient, and cheapest methods to deposit waste. However, landfill utilization involves social, environmental, geotechnical, cost, and restrictive regulation considerations. For instance, landfills are considered a source of hazardous air pollutants that can cause health and environmental problems related to landfill gas and non-methanic organic compounds. The increasing number of sensors and availability of remotely sensed images along with rapid development of spatial technology are helping with effective landfill site selection. The present study used fuzzy membership and the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) in a geo-spatial environment for landfill site selection in the city of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Macro- and micro-level factors were considered; the macro-level contained social and economic factors, while the micro-level accounted for geo-environmental factors. The weighted spatial layers were combined to generate landfill suitability and overall suitability index maps. Sensitivity analysis was then carried out to rectify initial theoretical weights. The results showed that 30.25% of the study area had a high suitability index for landfill sites in the Sharjah, and the most suitable site was selected based on weighted factors. The developed fuzzy-AHP methodology can be applied in neighboring regions with similar geo-natural conditions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abd-El Monsef, H. (2015). Optimization of municipal landfill siting in the Red Sea coastal desert using geographic information system, remote sensing and an analytical hierarchy process. Environmental Earth Sciences, 74(3), 2283–2296. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-4220-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abdelfattah, M. A., & Pain, C. (2012). Unifying regional soil maps at different scales to generate a national soil map for the United Arab Emirates applying digital soil mapping techniques. Journal of Maps, 8(4), 392–405.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Abujayyab, S. K. M., Ahamad, M. S. S., Yahya, A. S., Bashir, M. J. K., & Abdul Aziz, H. (2016). GIS modelling for new landfill sites: Critical review of employed criteria and methods of selection criteria. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science (p. 12053). doi:https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/37/1/012053.

  • Al-Ruzouq, R., Hamad, K., Shanableh, A., & Khalil, M. (2017). Infrastructure growth assessment of urban areas based on multi-temporal satellite images and linear features. Annals of GIS, 23(3), 183–201. https://doi.org/10.1080/19475683.2017.1325935.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alavi, N., Goudarzi, G., Babaei, A. A., Jaafarzadeh, N., & Hosseinzadeh, M. (2013). Municipal solid waste landfill site selection with geographic information systems and analytical hierarchy process: A case study in Mahshahr County, Iran. Waste Management & Research, 31(1), 98–105. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X12456092.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Briggs, T., Kunsch, P. L., & Mareschal, B. (1990). Nuclear waste management: An application of the multicriteria PROMETHEE methods. European Journal of Operational Research, 44(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-2217(90)90308-X.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang, N. B., Parvathinathan, G., & Breeden, J. B. (2008). Combining GIS with fuzzy multicriteria decision-making for landfill siting in a fast-growing urban region. Journal of Environmental Management, 87(1), 139–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2007.01.011.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cox, E. (1999). The fuzzy systems handbook. Burlington, MA: Kaufmann.

  • Davoli, E., Fattore, E., Paiano, V., Colombo, A., Palmiotto, M., Rossi, A. N., Il Grande, M., & Fanelli, R. (2010). Waste management health risk assessment: A case study of a solid waste landfill in South Italy. Waste Management, 30(8), 1608–1613. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2009.10.013.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Demesouka, O. E., Vavatsikos, A. P., & Anagnostopoulos, K. P. (2013). Suitability analysis for siting MSW landfills and its multicriteria spatial decision support system: Method, implementation and case study. Waste Management, 33(5), 1190–1206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2013.01.030.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ekmekçioĝlu, M., Kaya, T., & Kahraman, C. (2010). Fuzzy multicriteria disposal method and site selection for municipal solid waste. Waste Management, 30(8–9), 1729–1736. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2010.02.031.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elmahdy, S. I., & Mohamed, M. M. (2014). Groundwater potential modelling using remote sensing and GIS: A case study of the al Dhaid area, United Arab Emirates. Geocarto International, 29(4), 433–450. https://doi.org/10.1080/10106049.2013.784366.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gbanie, S. P., Tengbe, P. B., Momoh, J. S., Medo, J., & Kabba, V. T. S. (2013). Modelling landfill location using geographic information systems (GIS) and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA): Case study Bo, southern Sierra Leone. Applied Geography, 36, 3–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2012.06.013.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghobadi, M. H., Babazadeh, R., & Bagheri, V. (2013). Siting MSW landfills by combining AHP with GIS in Hamedan province, western Iran. Environmental Earth Sciences, 70(4), 1823–1840. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2271-9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Giusti, L. (2009). A review of waste management practices and their impact on human health. Waste Management, 29(8), 2227–2239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2009.03.028.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gorsevski, P. V., Donevska, K. R., Mitrovski, C. D., & Frizado, J. P. (2012). Integrating multi-criteria evaluation techniques with geographic information systems for landfill site selection: A case study using ordered weighted average. Waste Management, 32(2), 287–296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2011.09.023.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kara, C., & Doratli, N. (2012). Application of GIS/AHP in siting sanitary landfill: A case study in northern Cyprus. Waste Management & Research, 30(9), 966–980. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X12453975.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khan, D., & Samadder, S. R. (2014). Municipal solid waste management using geographical information system aided methods: A mini review. Waste Management & Research, 32(11), 1049–1062. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X14554644.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lodwick, W. A., Monson, W., & Svoboda, L. (1990). Attribute error and sensitivity analysis of map operations in geographical information systems: Suitability analysis. International Journal of Geographical Information System, 4(4), 413–428. https://doi.org/10.1080/02693799008941556.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahini, A. S., & Gholamalifard, M. (2006). Siting MSW landfills with a weighted linear combination methodology in a GIS environment. International Journal of Environmental Science & Technology, 3(4), 435–445. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03325953.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merkhofer, M., & Keeney, R. (1987). A multiattribute utility analysis of alternative sites for the disposal of nuclear waste. Risk Analysis, 7(2), 173–194.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Napolitano, P., & Fabbri, A. G. (1996). Single-parameter sensitivity analysis for aquifer vulnerability assessment using DRASTIC and SINTACS. In IAHS Publications—Series of Proceedings and Reports—Intern Assoc Hydrological Sciences (Vol. 235, pp. 559–566).

  • 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.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rezazadeh, M., Seyedmahalleh, E. S., Seyedmahalleh, E. S., & Mehrdadi, N. (2014). Landfill site selection for Babol using fuzzy logic method. Journal of Civil Engineering and Urbanism, 4, 261–265.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saaty, T. L. (1977). A scaling method for priorities in hierarchical structures. Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 15(3), 234–281.

  • Şener, B., Süzen, M. L., & Doyuran, V. (2006). Landfill site selection by using geographic information systems. Environmental Geology, 49(3), 376–388. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-0075-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shanableh, A., & Al-Ruzouq, R. (2014). Integration of multi-temporal satellite imagery in modeling urban expansion effects on runoff in the city of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. In Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium 2014 (p. 223).

  • Soltani, A., Hewage, K., Reza, B., & Sadiq, R. (2015). Multiple stakeholders in multi-criteria decision-making in the context of municipal solid waste management: A review. Waste Management, 35, 318–328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2014.09.010.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tagaris, E., Sotiropoulou, R. P., Pilinis, C., & Halvadakis, C. P. (2003). A methodology to estimate odors around landfill sites: The use of methane as an odor index and its utility in landfill siting. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 53(5), 629–634. https://doi.org/10.1080/10473289.2003.10466198.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Uyan, M. (2014). MSW landfill site selection by combining AHP with GIS for Konya, Turkey. Environmental Earth Sciences, 71(4), 1629–1639. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2567-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, G., Qin, L., Li, G., & Chen, L. (2009). Landfill site selection using spatial information technologies and AHP: A case study in Beijing, China. Journal of Environmental Management, 90(8), 2414–2421. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2008.12.008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yunus, M. Z. M., Mohamad, I. I., Omar, C. M., & Yusof, M. B. M. (2015). Integrating and utilizing AHP and GIS for landfill site selection. Applied Mechanics and Materials, 773, 100–104. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.773-774.100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

    Rami Al-Ruzouq, Abdallah Shanableh, Maher Omar & Ghadeer Al-Khayyat

Authors
  1. Rami Al-Ruzouq
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Abdallah Shanableh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Maher Omar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ghadeer Al-Khayyat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rami Al-Ruzouq.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Al-Ruzouq, R., Shanableh, A., Omar, M. et al. Macro and micro geo-spatial environment consideration for landfill site selection in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Environ Monit Assess 190, 147 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-018-6538-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-018-6538-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation