Title: Multi-criteria selection of municipal waste treatment system using VIKOR method

Authors: Serafim C. Opricovic; Milorad Miloradov

Addresses: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Bul. Kralja Aleksandra 73, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia ' Academy of Sciences, Cultures and Arts of Vojvodina, Serbia

Abstract: The main goal is determination of municipal waste treatment system. System alternatives include recycling, composting, incineration, and landfilling. Criteria are derived from environmental protection, efficiency, financial, and social effects. This decision problem is characterised by non-commensurable and competing (conflicting) criteria, with no solution satisfying all criteria simultaneously. The multi-criteria decision making method VIKOR is applied for ranking alternatives of waste treatment and selecting compromise solution from the set of feasible alternatives. The method compromises conflicting criteria, and group utility with individual regret. Multi-criteria decision making for municipal solid waste management in the region of Novi Sad, Serbia, is presented as an example, illustrating alternatives generation, formulation of criteria functions, evaluation of alternatives in terms of criteria, application of the VIKOR method and the proposition of final solution. Selected treatment system consists of mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) plant, incineration in cement kiln, sanitary landfill, and market for recycling material.

Keywords: municipal waste treatment; multicriteria selection; VIKOR method; recycling; composting; incineration; landfill; environmental protection; efficiency; financial effects; social effects; multicriteria decision making; MCDM; Serbia; waste management; waste disposal.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2016.080261

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2016 Vol.18 No.1, pp.43 - 57

Accepted: 22 Jun 2016
Published online: 09 Nov 2016 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article