A framework for evaluation of construction and demolition waste management alternatives using MCDA techniques in the context of Dhaka City

Landfilling and dumping are the common strategies to manage generated construction and demolition waste (C&DW) in Dhaka City. These strategies of C&DW management (C&DWM) affect the environment adversely and fill the old landfill sites quickly. Besides, there isn't any framework to manage C&DWs effectively. This study introduces a Multi-criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA)-based C&DWM framework for Dhaka City by incorporating the expanded Waste Management Hierarchy (E-WMH). The E-WMH principles are considered as the C&DWM alternatives. Through a comprehensive literature review, the criteria are determined and grouped into social, economic, environmental, and technical criteria to achieve sustainability and effectiveness. To construct the initial decision matrix, the ordinal data (i.e. rating) is collected through interviews with the subject-matter experts of Dhaka City. Also, the ranking system method is used to determine the weight of the criteria. Finally, the ELECTRE I and ELECTRE II MCDA methods are employed to rank the alternatives. Results show that reuse and recovery are suitable strategies for managing C&DWs in Dhaka city. Future studies may consider the hybridization of MCDA tools, quantitative data to form the initial decision matrix, and other mathematical models to weigh the criteria so that the performance of the framework can be enhanced.