Can asbestos mine reclamation contribute to sustainable development?

The reclamation of asbestos mines is an ever-pressing task due to the intense environmental impacts associated with asbestos. In many cases however, the high cost of remedial actions makes the finding of a solution very difficult resulting in the abandonment of large areas of contaminated land. To confront with this situation, it is necessary to take into consideration not only the environmental but also the financial and social dimensions of the problem. This paper illustrates a methodology developed for the assessment of the remediation alternatives of an asbestos mine, based on the principles of Fuzzy AHP. The outcomes indicate that the developed methodology may contribute to a sound decision-making process that satisfies all the necessary criteria towards sustainable development.