A Comprehensive MCDM‐Based Approach Using AHP, FAHP, TOPSIS, and EDAS for Optimizing the Yield and Quality of Pyrolysis Oil From Plastic Waste

Plastic waste generation is increasing globally, and the demand for sustainable energy is continuously increasing worldwide. There is an urgent need to find an effective method to convert waste into energy technologies. In this study, a hybrid Multi‐Criteria Decision‐Making (MCDM) is used to evaluate the best plastic waste as feedstock for maximizing pyrolytic oil and the quality of oil. This research focuses on five types of plastic feedstocks: high‐density polyethylene (HDPE), PET, PP, PS, and mixed plastics in a hybrid MCDM approach. Due to the large fluctuations in thermochemical characteristics, including volatile matter, fixed carbon, ash, sulfur, pyrolytic oil, and calorific value, as well as operating temperature, traditional experimental procedures are not easily applied due to the complexity and fluctuation of plastic waste types. MCDM techniques offer a systematic and efficient way to evaluate and rank these feedstocks according to multiple and frequently conflicting criteria and, therefore, overcome the limitations of conventional testing. The study uses four advanced methods of MCDM, namely, analytic hierarchy process (AHP), fuzzy AHP (FAHP), Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), and EDAS in order to rank the feedstocks. The results consistently show that HDPE is the most promising plastic for pyrolysis in terms of high hydrocarbon production, low ash content, and good energy recovery potential. AHP, FAHP, and TOPSIS are in support of this ranking, but EDAS provides a special method of viewing the situation, as it highlights the importance of method selection in the decision‐making process. These results underpin the potential use of HDPE as a sustainable and efficient feedstock for use in pyrolysis for waste‐to‐energy processes. By the integration of MCDM methods, this work outlines a novel decision‐support method to aid in the feedstock selection for sustainable plastic waste management and energy recovery to meet the ambition of the circular economy.