Social sustainability assessment of conversion technologies: Municipal solid waste into bioenergy using Best Worst Method

Abstract

The majority of sustainability assessments of the bio based industries are primarily focused on the environmental and economic aspects, while social impacts are rarely considered. While overlooking social dimension can have a serious harmful impact across supply chains. To address this issue, this study proposes a modified systemic approach for a social sustainability impact assessment of the technology treatment for converting municipal solid waste to bioenergy based on a review on the common methodologies for assessing social impacts. To show the applicability and efficiency of the proposed framework, a sample of 8 experts were used to evaluate and prioritize social sustainability criteria, using a multi-criteria decision-making method called the ‘best worst method' (BWM). The criteria are ranked according to their average weight obtained through BWM. The results of this study help bio industry managers, decision-makers and practitioners decide where to focus their attention during the implementation stage, to increase social sustainability in their bioenergy supply chains derived waste and move towards sustainable development.