Abstract—This study presents a comprehensive Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) framework, enhanced by the Taguchi approach, to evaluate and prioritize waste management strategies for accomplishing a “Clean Province” initiative. The research concentrates on critical aspects of environmental sustainability, emphasizing waste management and its impact on ecosystems, public health, and resource conservation. Six essential criteria—source-level waste segregation, reduction of waste generation, efficient collection by local administrative organizations, adherence to academic waste disposal standards, management during epidemics, and effective handling of plastic waste—serve as the foundation for evaluation. Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluations (PROMETHEE), Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) are all incorporated into the proposed framework. AHP determines the relative significance of criteria, whereas TOPSIS and PROMETHEE rank strategies according to their proximity to ideal solutions and preference flows, respectively. The Taguchi approach, which implements the “smaller-the-better” principle for ranking strategies, further fortifies the analysis’s robustness, guaranteeing consistent and dependable evaluations. The results indicate that this framework is effective in identifying the most effective waste management strategies, thereby contributing to the overarching objectives of environmental sustainability and resource efficiency. These results emphasize the significance of structured decision-making in addressing solid waste management challenges, which have implications for waste valorization, reuse, and recycling practices. This research emphasizes the integration of waste-to-energy technologies and sustainable approaches to waste reduction, providing policymakers and stakeholders with actionable insights. This study provides a replicable model for improving solid waste management systems, thereby assuring societal well-being and ecological balance, in accordance with the objectives of environmental science and development.

Keywords—waste management strategies, Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM), Taguchi approach, sustainability, environmental impact, urban and rural waste solutions

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Cite: Atiwat Nanphang and Pongchanun Luangpaiboon, "Strategic Assessment of Waste Management Solutions Using a Three-Stage MCDM Framework for a Clean Province," International Journal of Environmental Science and Development vol. 16, no. 6, pp. 406-418, 2025.

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