Municipal solid waste landfill site selection using GIS and multi criteria decision analysis in Mendi Town, Ethiopia

Urbanization and inadequate solid waste management remain pressing challenges in developing regions such as Ethiopia. In Mendi Town, informal disposal practices, including open dumping and burning, pose severe environmental, social, and public health risks. This study aimed to evaluate the status of municipal solid waste management and identify suitable landfill sites through an integrated geospatial multi-criteria decision analysis. Primary data were collected through field observations, focus group discussions (n = 3), and key informant interviews (n = 12), complemented by secondary data from satellite imagery and various published and unpublished sources. Criteria such as proximity to rivers, land use/land cover, soil type, elevation, geology, slope, and proximity to main roads were analyzed using ArcGIS 10.8, IDRISI Selva, ERDAS Imagine, and Microsoft Excel. The Analytic Hierarchy Process was applied to assign weights, followed by a weighted overlay to generate landfill suitability maps. Findings reveal that waste management in Mendi Town is poorly executed: 41.6% of waste is unlawfully discarded, 25% is incinerated, and less than 17% is composted. FGDs and KIIs consistently highlighted disposal in open areas, roads, rivers, and ditches, compounded by weak enforcement, financial constraints, and limited awareness. Thematic analysis identified five major barriers: environmental risks, knowledge gaps, health impacts, governance failures, and cultural dynamics. Spatial suitability analysis showed that 11.4% (388.4 ha) of the area is unsuitable, 37.7% (1292.4 ha) less suitable, 37.5% (1285.8 ha) moderately suitable, and 13.4% (459.9 ha) highly suitable for landfill development. This study concludes that integrating geospatial Multi Criteria Decision Anlysis with community perspectives provides a robust framework for addressing urban waste challenges. The results offer actionable insights for urban planners, environmental managers, and policymakers, recommending the advancement of identified landfill sites while emphasizing the need for stronger institutional capacity, public awareness, and socio-ecological considerations in future waste management strategies. Not applicable.