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Waste management is a critical sector that needs to co-ordinate its activities with outcomes that impact society. Multi-criteria decision-making methods for waste management have been widely considered using environmental and economic criteria. With the development of new social regulations and concerns, sustainable waste management needs to additionally target socially acceptable practices. Despite the need to aid solid waste management decision-makers in contemplating the three pillars of sustainability, a limited inclusion of social impact has been found in the multi-objective decision-making literature. This study presents a systematic literature review of multi-criteria decision-making methods in solid waste management. The purpose of this study is threefold. (1) Emphasize the application of multi-objective decision-making methods, summarizing the models that have been used and their applications; (2) provide insights into the quantification of social aspects and their inclusion in decision-making methods, providing a list of social indicators collected from the reviewed studies; (3) offer an analysis of stakeholders’ involvement in waste management. From the articles investigated, one can observe the importance of understanding the local context in which the waste management system is located and the necessity of community consultation to recognize the potential challenges and improvements to solid waste management systems. Consequently, the involvement of stakeholders is crucial during the quantification process of social indicators. In alignment with the findings and needs raised by this review, a methodological approach is suggested for integrating optimization, social aspects, and stakeholders under a waste management context.
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This content will become publicly available on January 22, 2026
Emerging investigator series: open dumping and burning: an overlooked source of terrestrial microplastics in underserved communities
Open dumping and burning of solid waste are widely practiced in underserved communities lacking access to solid waste management facilities. The generation of microplastics from these sites has been overlooked.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2338225
- PAR ID:
- 10579481
- Publisher / Repository:
- Royal Society of Chemistry
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts
- Volume:
- 27
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 2050-7887
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 52 to 62
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- Microplastics, open pits, open dumping solid waste, thermal oxidation
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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