A multi-criteria decision-making approach for hazardous waste site selection : integrating AHP and Monte Carlo Simulation in the Malaysian context

This research presents a decision-support framework for hazardous waste treatment site selection by integrating the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with Monte Carlo Simulation. Malaysia serves as the case study, with findings intended to inform both national and global applications in developing countries facing similar challenges.A ten-criterion Hazardous Waste Management (HWM) index was developed to reflect the multidimensional aspects of site suitability—spanning environmental, social, economic, regulatory, and technical factors. Stakeholder input was gathered through structured pairwise comparisons with three groups: industry players, broader industrial stakeholders, and academic researchers. AHP was used to derive priority weights for each criterion, while Monte Carlo Simulation tested the robustness of the results under uncertainty.The findings reveal a strong emphasis on industry output, economic viability, and regulatory compliance across groups, with variations in the importance of environmental and social factors. Monte Carlo results validated the stability of top-ranked criteria and highlighted sensitivity in lower-ranked ones.This study contributes a replicable, adaptable framework that supports transparent, data-informed infrastructure planning. It enhances decision-making in hazardous waste management and aligns with broader goals of circular economy and sustainable development.