Multiattribute Decision-Making with Sustainability Considerations

Decision analysis is an essential tool in support of many solid waste management (SWM) practices. This chapter demonstrates how multiattribute decision analysis can be formalized and applied to align the disparity of decision-making criteria and alternatives for SWM. Two case studies are introduced; one devoted to construction and demolition waste (CDW) planning in Germany, and the other conducted a comparison of waste collection systems in Portugal. Both cases present the application potential of multiattribute decision analysis. System integration with varying levels of technology complexity could result in more intricacy. In particular, decisions involving sustainability issues tend to include an array of objective attributes based on highly subjective value judgments. In those cases, SWM have to find a process to lead qualitative attributes including social and environmental impacts into the quantitative decision-making process.