Municipal solid waste management with recyclable potential in developing countries: Current scenario and future...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Social Science
• Waste Management

Background:

• Municipal solid waste (MSW) management presents significant global challenges, particularly in developing nations, encompassing economic, environmental, and social dimensions.
• The social aspect is critically influenced by waste collectors, whose integration into waste management systems is often overlooked.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct an integrative bibliographic review analyzing the socio-productive inclusion of waste collectors in municipal solid waste management (MSWM) internationally.
• To identify, analyze, and describe MSWM practices that incorporate the social inclusion of waste collectors, focusing on recyclable waste streams (MSWRP).
• To provide a framework for future practices and perspectives in MSWRP, with a specific focus on developing countries.

Main Methods:

• Integrative bibliographic review of international literature on MSWM and social inclusion of waste collectors.
• Longitudinal analysis of socio-productive inclusion trends.
• Comparative summary of MSWRP management in Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, and Pakistan.

Main Results:

• Identified key areas for effective MSWM improvement, including professional training, cultural considerations, empowerment, recycling cooperatives, policy integration, and management systems.
• Detailed analysis of MSWRP management in selected developing countries, highlighting specific challenges and opportunities.
• Presented paradigms and future questions for enhancing WSWM through the inclusion of the informal sector.

Conclusions:

• Effective MSWM requires the socio-productive inclusion of waste collectors, addressing aspects like training, cooperatives, policy, and safety.
• Integrating the informal sector into MSWRP offers significant environmental, economic, and social benefits.
• Future practices should focus on empowerment, improved management systems, and a circular economy approach to waste.