Induced Unbalanced Linguistic Ordered Weighted Average and Its Application in Multiperson Decision Making

Table 5

Environmental criteria.

Criterion name	Description	Information used
Biodiversity suitability	Biodiversity is an indicator of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity can be adversely affected by metal and organic compound contamination depending on the characteristics of the soil.	Metal concentration in the sludge; Organic compounds in the sludge; Sludge treatment type; Organic matter in the soil; Soil texture; Soil carbonate level
Nitrates suitability	Contamination of the soil by nutrients should be minimized. Applying sludge containing nitrates to a soil may affect its recommended level of nitrates.	Organic matter in the sludge; Sludge treatment type; Nitrates available in the sludge; Soil texture; Nitrates available in the soil
Organic matter suitability	Soil organic matter regulates several processes (e.g., as OM mineralizes slowly, nutrients are released at a slower pace, reducing the potential risk of nitrogen leaching to groundwater).	Organic matter in the sludge; Organic matter in the soil; Sludge treatment type
pH suitability	Metal contamination in soils is related to its pH. For this reason, basic soils are preferred for sewage sludge treatment. Acid soils should receive sludge with a high pH.	Sludge pH; Soil pH
Soil contamination suitability	Soil contamination refers to the presence of heavy metals and organic compounds in a soil. The presence of contaminants in sewage sludge may result in risks to humans and ecosystems. The contaminant’s movement between environmental compartments may lead to soil contamination.	Metal concentration in the sludge; Organic compounds in the sludge; Sludge treatment type; Organic matter in the soil; Soil texture; Soil carbonates level; Soil pH