Municipal Waste Management Sustainability in Developing Countries: An Analysis of Research Directions

Abstract

Currently, there is an increasing clamour for sustainable municipal management systems in developing countries because of the recent growth in waste generation in these countries. Different literature has discussed the issue of waste management systems for developing countries; however, there is sparse information on the synergic relationship among STEEP (Social, Technical, Economic, Environment and Policy) requirements for municipal waste management. This study uses STEEP requirements to evaluate the issue of municipal waste management sustainability in developing countries. These requirements help in aggregating the drawbacks and improvements in municipal waste management among developing countries. A framework for municipal waste management sustainability was proposed based on the discussion of available information on STEEP requirements. Furthermore, several research directions were highlighted to provide decision-makers with empirical tools for municipal waste management sustainability. Its emphasis is on municipal waste management in Africa in general and Lagos, Nigeria in particular. The study concluded that carrying out a detailed analysis of the STEEP requirements is a prerequisite for a sustainable municipal waste management system.