Integrated analysis of geological-geochemical and hydrogeological conditions and GIS assessment for regional planning of ecological infrastructure in Eastern Georgia

Safe management and disposal of hazardous waste is a critical environmental and public health priority globally, and an urgent infrastructure need for Georgia.Despite ongoing industrial growth and environmental regulatory approximation with European Union standards, Georgia currently lacks a modern, engineered, compliant facility dedicated to hazardous waste landfilling.As a result, hazardous industrial byproducts are often stockpiled on-site in temporary storage facilities or in unlined municipal dumpsites, threatening regional water resources and public health.This study presents a GIS-based multi-criteria evaluation for hazardous waste landfill site selection in Eastern Georgia, focusing on the Marneuli, Gardabani, and Tetritskaro municipalities.A multi-layer spatial database was assembled in a GIS environment, incorporating a 20-meter resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and derived hillshade, 1:25,000 topographic map, 1:200,000 geological map, regional seismic hazard model, landslide and mudflow susceptibility maps, hydrological networks, infrastructural layers, and cadastral property boundaries.Adopting the environmental criteria framework developed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, candidate locations were evaluated across 20 social, environmental, technical, and geological parameters.Each parameter was scored on an integer suitability scale from 1 to 5. Spatial screening identified 10 candidate locations.Aggregated multi-criteria scoring revealed three primary candidate sites: Marneuli (73), Tsintskaro (71), and Former Military Site (65).This research establishes an empirical, objective decision-support baseline to guide the development of Georgia's first hazardous waste disposal facility, and outlines a comprehensive 6-phase GIS workflow for regional environmental infrastructure planning.