SCORE: Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) for Sustainability Appraisal of Remedial Alternatives

Paper in proceeding, 2013

For comprehensive and transparent appraisal of sustainability, multicriteria analysis (MCA) is often suggested. Development of a relevant MCA-method requires consideration of a number of key issues, e.g., (a) definition of assessment boundaries; (b) definition of performance scales, both temporal and spatial; (c) selection of relevant criteria (indicators) that facilitates a comprehensive sustainability appraisal while avoiding double-counting of effects; and (d) handling of uncertainties. Adding to the complexity is the typically wide variety of inputs, including uantifications based on existing data, expert judgments, and opinions expressed in interviews. The sustainable choice of remediation (SCORE) MCA-method is developed to provide a transparent appraisal of the sustainability of possible remediation alternatives relative to a reference alternative, considering key criteria in the economic, environmental and social domains. The criteria were identified based on extensive literature studies and focus-group meetings. The economic domain has one key criterion: social profitability, evaluated by cost-benefit analysis. The environmental domain criteria are: soil, surface water, groundwater, sediment, air, non-recyclable waste, and non-renewable natural resources. The social domain criteria are: local environmental quality & amenity; cultural heritage; equity; health and safety; local participation; and local acceptance. SCORE combines a linear additive model to rank the alternatives with outranking to identify alternatives regarded as non-sustainable. The method is capable of integrating quantitative and qualitative estimations of criteria and provides a full uncertainty analysis of the results, using Monte Carlo simulation. Most importantly, it provides a structure that allows preferences and opinions of involved stakeholders to be openly integrated into the analysis.