An integrated framework for sustainable site selection and operations management of infectious waste disposal facilities

In response to growing global concerns about environmental sustainability and social responsibility, organizations are compelled to take a holistic approach to the selection and management of Infectious Waste Disposal Sites (IWDSs). This article presents an integrated framework that combines both sustainable selection and operations management of IWDSs in pursuit of economic, environmental, and social viability. Site selection criteria are identified first through a detailed literature review and expert consultation. Their relative importance is assessed using the fuzzy Extended AHP (FE-AHP) technique and potential sites are ranked by applying fuzzy TOPSIS (FTOPSIS). To optimize IWDS operations, a Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming (MINLP) mathematical model is developed, minimizing total cost, travel time, environmental impact, and maximizing sustainability. The Augmented ε-Constraint-2 (AUGMECON2) algorithm is applied to derive Pareto optimal solutions. The final site is selected using TOPSIS, with weights derived from the CRITIC method. A real-world case study involving 38 hospitals and 3 candidate sites tests and validates the framework. Results show that economic factors are most significant (weight: 0.58), followed by environmental (0.3) and social (0.12) criteria. The selected site yields a total cost of $7,447, travel time of 7.64 h, 34,359 g of emissions, and a sustainability score of 25.83, supporting Triple Bottom Line (3BL) goals and long-term decision-making.