The　waste　to　energy　(WTE)　project　provides　a　promising　solution　for　managing　the　rapidly　generated　municipal　solid　waste　(MSW).　To　achieve　the　sustainable　MSW　management,　it　is　essential　to　select　an　appropriate　WTE　plant　site.　Thus,　this　paper　proposes　a　large-scale　group　decision-making　method　to　select　the　optimal　site.　First,　a　sustainable　evaluation　index　system　is　constructed　based　on　the　Strengths,　Weaknesses,　Opportunities,　and　Threats　(SWOT)　analysis　from　the　perspectives　of　economic,　environment,　and　society.　Second,　considering　the　linguistic　terms　provided　by　the　decision　makers　cannot　be　directly　computed,　an　interval　data　driven-based　computing　with　word　model　is　presented　to　transform　the　linguistic　terms　into　the　Gaussian　interval　type-2　fuzzy　sets　(IT2FSs).　Then,　a　Gaussian　interval　type-2　fuzzy　clustering　approach　is　provided　to　conquer　the　inefficiency　caused　by　the　increase　of　the　number　of　decision　makers.　Finally,　the　TODIM　method　is　extended　to　compare　and　rank　the　alternative　sites　in　the　context　of　Gaussian　IT2FSs.　A　case　study　is　provided　to　illustrate　the　effectiveness　of　the　proposed　method,　meanwhile,　some　discussions　are　conducted　to　illustrate　the　superiority　and　flexibility　of　the　proposed　method.　The　results　indicate　that　the　proposed　method　can　successfully　select　the　optimal　plant　site　and　has　the　potential　to　provide　practical　reference　for　the　policymakers.