Geospatial based selection of optimal landfill sites for sustainable solid waste management in Masha Town Northern Ethiopia

Rapid urbanization and population growth in Masha Town have significantly increased municipal solid waste generation, while the existing disposal site is poorly located near streambanks, the main road, and the town’s outskirts, posing environmental and public health risks. This study used a GIS-based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis approach to identify suitable sites for sustainable municipal landfill development in Masha Town. The analysis integrated key environmental, physical, and land-use factors to produce a landfill suitability map. The results indicate that 57.3% (29.21 km 2 ) of the study area is not suitable for landfill development, 36.13% (18.42 km 2 ) is moderately suitable, and only 6.57% (3.35 km 2 ) is very suitable. The very suitable areas are mainly concentrated along the southwestern, western, northwestern, northeastern, and southeastern margins of the town, away from the densely populated urban core. These results demonstrate that only a limited portion of the study area is appropriate for future landfill development. The resulting suitability map provides a useful spatial decision-support tool for municipal authorities to identify potential landfill locations and support sustainable solid waste management and future urban planning.