USING GIS TECHNIQUES FOR ASSESSING WASTE LANDFILL PLACEMENT SUITABILITY. CASE STUDY: PRAHOVA COUNTY, ROMANIA

Valentina MĂNOIU, Iulia FONTANINE, Romulus COSTACHE, Remus PRĂVĂLIE, Iulian MITOF

ABSTRACT: Prahova County is one the most urbanized and economically developed areas of Romania, and one of the main waste-generating counties. The present study aims to analyse, by using GIS techniques, waste landfill placement suitability, based on environmental and legal criteria. Firstly, the restrictive factors, established by law, were analysed, including distance from localities, forests, protected areas and water courses. Secondly, natural factors that influence the waste landfill siting suitability were also analysed, such as: slope, seismic risk, soil texture, and mean annual rainfall. The results, expressed by the suitability index for waste landfills (SIWL) in Prahova County, showed that 11% (516 km²) of the study area is favourable to waste landfill siting, but only 3.4% (160 km²) of the area is highly suitable.

Keywords: GIS techniques, waste landfills suitability, Prahova County, Romania.

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