Application of Analytic Network Process (ANP) and PROMETHEE for different treatment/disposal technologies of persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

Abstract

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a group of hazardous chemicals that have persistent, bio accumulative andtoxic properties regulated under Stockholm Convention (SC). This study was to a large extent focusing on selecting theappropriate treatment/disposal technologies for environmentally sound disposal of POPs in compliant with SCobligations. For this purpose, five different technologies were evaluated by Analytic Network Process (ANP) andPROMETHEE methods which are the most well-known Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methods. Thesetechnologies are incineration, base-catalyzed decomposition (BCD), gas phase chemical reduction (GPCR),pyrolysis/gasification and plasma arc. Eleven criteria by means of benefit, cost and risk were used for evaluation.Incineration was found as the preferred alternative for both methods (34 % for ANP and +0.41 for PROMETHEE). Thesecond option for ANP and PROMETHEE was plasma arc (24%) and pyrolysis/gasification/ (+0.23), respectively.Although the results were slightly different for two options, this difference is due to the mathematical differencesbetween the methods.