Solid Waste Management Research Articles

Treatment of polymeric solid waste, such as used membranes, is vital for environmental sustainability. Cellulose-based membranes are widely utilized in the water industry due to their resistance to biodegradation. These non-biodegradable membranes can persist in landfills and aquatic environments for extended periods. Our study assessed the biodegradation potential of Trametes versicolor on a newly fabricated cellulose acetate (CA) membrane and a commercially produced membrane under various conditions, including oxidative stress. Additionally, we employed T. versicolor encapsulated in a small bioreactor platform (SBP) for media inoculation and biomass augmentation. Treatment of the commercially produced CA membrane within a timeframe of 30 days was unsuccessful. This was primarily attributed to the structural stability of the membrane over time and the limited ability of the culture to attach to the membrane surface. These results underscore the necessity of exploring alternative biopolymer cellulose-based materials for ultrafiltration (UF) and microfiltration (MF) membrane applications. The custom-made UF membrane, treated by ozonation as a pretreatment, emerged as an effective approach for enhancing biodegradation. Combining these factors, we expect to achieve over 27.75 ± 1.5% weight loss in membrane solids by 30 days of treatment. This study represents the first inquiry into the biodegradation capabilities of T. versicolor on CA-based membranes.

Solid waste management is one of the challenging issues faced by developing countries. India ranks 3rd in the production of eggs, generating about 3.8 billion kilograms annually. This growth in production at a larger rate is mainly due to the increase in domestic consumption. This could lead to a larger generation of solid waste. To overcome these issues, eggshells could be effectively incorporated into concrete production as cementitious blends. This paper investigates the suitability of pulverized eggshell powder having antibacterial activity, as a partial substitute for cement, and it enhances properties. The material characterization techniques like Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) were used to investigate the feasibility of using eggshell powder. Then the cement was partially replaced by pulverized eggshell at 5%- 20% by its weight. The fresh property was assessed using the flow table test, while the hardened property was determined using the compressive strength of the cement mortar for up to 30 days. From the test results, 10% pulverized eggshell powder when utilized in mortar gives optimum compressive strength. The microstructural investigations proved to be evident for pulverized eggshells when replaced at 10% delivered good strength and make smart cement.

Solid waste management in urbanising rural service centres in Zimbabwe is poorly understood because of the urban bias of most studies, while the few studies on the subject are poorly contextualised and designed. This comparative study, undertaken between January and September 2022, investigates similarities and differences of solid waste management in Jerera, presided by Zaka Rural District Council, and in Nyika, presided by Bikita Rural District Council. Both are located in Masvingo province, one of the country’s eight rural provinces. A mix of qualitative and quantitative methods was used to assess the existence and adequacy of solid waste management vis-à-vis regulatory and implementation arrangements. Both local authorities have no environmental action and solid waste management plans as required by law. Bikita Council, however, has better drafted but poorly implemented by-laws because of the absence of a dedicated waste management department. Zaka Council has outdated by-laws but an established waste management department, resulting in better solid waste management. Solid waste management at both centres has, however, generally been poor because of financial constraints due to a weak economic base and challenging macroeconomic conditions. Hence, better solid waste management practices are explained by solid waste governance in the centres rather than the geographical location and socio-economic status of the centres.

Due to the flourishing of industrialization, urbanization and other activities, environmental pollution has been intensified and followed by diverse organic pollutants including the residues of pesticides and the products resistant to biodegradation that still constitute a continuous threat to environmental and human health. The discovery that enzymes help with environmental pollution is eye-catching. In contrast to conventional physicochemical treatment technology, enzymatic destruction has gradually become a research focus in dealing with environmental pollution in recent years because of high efficiency, specificity, milder and environmentally-friendly properties. Studies in this area of enzymatic degradation of environmental pollutants focus on the catalytic mechanism of oxidoreductases and hydrolases, roles of coenzymes and catalytic active sites, the influence of genetic regulation and molecular evolution in the enzymatic reactions are reviewed in this paper. It further reviews the state-of-art of enzymes in wastewater treatment, solid waste management and soil remediation, and major challenges and further development trends of them in this area.

In recent years, industrial symbiosis (IS) has gained attention as a strategy to enhance circularity and to reduce the environmental impacts of solid waste management through resource reuse and recovery. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is increasingly used to evaluate the environmental performance of such inter-industry collaborations. Given the growing diversity of IS practices and LCA models, this updated review serves as a methodological reference, mapping existing approaches and identifying gaps to guide future research on the systematic assessment of circular strategies. Moreover, it investigates the environmental performance of IS approaches in the field, based on the LCA results of the analyzed case studies. We analyzed 48 peer-reviewed studies to examine how LCA has been applied to model and assess the environmental impacts and benefits of IS in the context of waste management. The literature revealed wide methodological variability, including differences in system boundaries, functional units, and impact categories, affecting comparability and consistency. Case studies confirm that IS can contribute to reducing environmental burdens, particularly with regard to climate change and resource depletion, though challenges remain in modelling the complex inter-organizational exchanges and accessing reliable data. Socio-economic aspects are increasingly considered but remain underrepresented. Future research should focus on methodological improvements, such as greater standardization and the better integration of indirect effects, to strengthen LCA in decision-making and to explore a wider range of scenarios reflecting different stakeholders, analytical perspectives, and the evolution of symbiotic systems over time.

The existence of microdumps is an important problem worldwide and Chile is not an exception to this reality. There is a total of approximately 3,492 illegal final disposal sites for waste at the national level, classified as microdumps (sites under 1 Ha. ). In Chile illegal dumps are on the rise and the Metropolitan Region (RM) is the city with the highest percentage. This study analyses the most important variables that explain this phenomenon comparing two municipalities of the RM, Las Condes and El Bosque, that differ, especially in socioeconomic status. The IPS (Indice de Prioridad Social/Social Priority Index) evaluates municipalities every year using three indicators: income, education and health. Las Condes is one of the municipalities with the best socioeconomic situation in the RM, at position Nº51 of 52, in the category of “no social priority”, unlike the municipality of El Bosque, at position Nº8 of the ranking, in the category of “mid to high social priority” according to IPS 2022 and in 2021 the same municipality reached position Nº7 entering the category of “high social priority”. The Municipality of Las Condes has 10 microdumps with a density of 0.227/Km2 and has 6.66 m$/inhabitant for solid waste management, while the municipality of El Bosque has 48 microdumps with a density of 3.71/Km2, with most of these located in areas of greater social vulnerability and it only has 2.80 m$/inhabitant (42%) to perform the same function. The study concludes that the factors with the highest incidence in the generation of microdumps include social vulnerability of inhabitants, municipal resources for solid waste management, and the level of employment and education of the municipality’s inhabitants.

Waste collection and disposal are a major challenge for many District, Municipal, and Metropolitan Assemblies in Ghana due to rapid economic and population growth. Techiman Municipality and, for that matter, Techiman Township, is no exception. Currently, all the waste generated ends up at the final disposal site without the retrieval of useful materials. This study was the culmination of research carried out to investigate the level of public participation in solid waste management by assessing physical composition and per capita waste generated, as well as the current practice of the public towards municipal waste management. Questionnaire survey and interviews with key stakeholders were also carried out. The results show solid waste composition of 57% biodegradables and 42.5% non-biodegradables. The average per capita waste generated was 0.70 kg/capita/day. The study further revealed that 30% of the respondents were aware of the existence of a dump site in the Techiman Municipality. The public engagement in solid waste management includes waste collection, sorting of waste, transportation, and recycling. Other potential roles of the public identified include the reuse of waste, composting, and waste separation. It is recommended that active participation and public sensitization in solid waste management be carried out through mass education on radio, television, newspapers, and other media.

This paper explores ‘utopia as method’ to envision solid waste and sewage management systems which are equitable and sustainable. Global solid waste management is largely sustained by millions of waste pickers who collect, sort and manage waste. Sanitation workers play a vital role in maintaining sewage systems. These workers are exposed to dangerous, toxic workspaces, and they often belong to marginalised socio-economic groups. Labour market segregation on the basis of gender, racialisation and caste is particularly visible in the case of waste-related occupations as workers face stigmatisation. In South Asia, Dalits (lowest caste groups) are significantly overrepresented as sanitation workers and waste pickers. Thus, this conceptual paper draws upon studies from India, to explore and imagine possibilities of anti-caste futures within visions of sustainable waste management. The paper highlights the need to incorporate worker-centric approaches and anti-caste politics to build ecologically sustainable and socio-economically equitable waste infrastructures.

The estimated increase in urban solid waste generation in the near future worldwide may negatively impact the environment and public health, and produce a significant economic impact on solid waste management. Recycling is crucial in mitigating this solid waste generation growth by diverting materials from landfills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and pollution, conserving resources, and extending end-of-life strategies. In this study, we address the bin location–allocation problem for the collection of recyclable household waste, a key challenge in the context of the circular economy and efforts to mitigate the sustained growth of household waste generation. To tackle this problem, this study generalizes a previous mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model to address different types of waste, particularly recyclable household waste, while minimizing total bin costs and ensuring that each generation point is assigned to the nearest collection site within a given threshold travel distance. Additionally, the model compares single and multi-stream collection strategies. For each case, we evaluate the options of locating recycling bins at road intersections and in open public spaces. Real-world data from the commune of Quinta Normal in Santiago, Chile is used to test our approach. This study also reports results of a sensitivity analysis of key parameters, including the generated household recyclable waste and the maximum distances users are willing to travel to dispose of their recyclable waste. Finally, managerial implications that emerge from this study are discussed, which may help authorities improve recyclable household waste collection, and outline future research directions.

Street sweepers are one of the most vulnerable groups of workers nowadays due to their working conditions, tenure of employment, health issues, and socio-economic status. Nevertheless, they are the driving force behind the maintenance of solid waste management and the cleanliness of cities. Using the Self-Determination Theory as the framework of this study, this paper aims to explore the sense of fulfillment experienced by street sweepers in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental. Using phenomenological research design, eight (8) street sweepers were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide questionnaire. The gathered data were transcribed, validated, and analyzed using the Braun and Clarke thematic analysis approach. Results revealed four (4) emerging themes: maintaining community cleanliness and orderliness, upholding professional integrity and work ethic, being acknowledged and respected in the community, and supporting family livelihood and well-being. In conclusion, the sense of fulfillment of street sweepers is driven by their sense of orientation, commitment, and accountability, how the community values them, and how the work sustains the physiological needs of their families. The city government should recognize the invaluable contributions of street sweepers by ensuring fair wages, benefits, job security, and recognition initiatives, which can foster greater motivation and job satisfaction. Future research could explore ways to improve job security and benefits for workers in similar sectors, ensuring their efforts are recognized and adequately rewarded.

Financing municipal solid waste management in Africa: The critical role of generalized trust.

Microplastics as emerging contaminants in municipal solid waste compost: Distribution, characterization, and ecological risk.

An alternative approach to estimate mismanaged plastic waste at the sub-national scale.

Waste-to-energy conversion through P-Fuzzy simulation of methane production.

The fast-paced economic development in India has resulted in higher energy use and the generation of solid wastes, posing immense environmental and health problems. With a view to solving these, this review investigates the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) in solid waste management (SWM) in India, its ability to bring about improved operational efficiency, lowered costs, and reduced environmental consequences. The article considers recent AI technology applications in segregating waste, optimizing routes, recovering resources, and recycling through machine learning, computer vision, and predictive analysis. It describes case studies on Indian cities successfully using AI-based technologies to enhance waste management efforts. Also, the review critically discusses the applicability of life cycle assessment (LCA) in measuring the sustainability and financial viability of AI-based systems with a balanced cost-benefit analysis. The conclusion emphasizes the disruptive potential of AI in restructuring India's waste management strategies, with a sustainable and efficient system in place to handle mounting waste loads. The present review paper deals with the usefulness of artificial intelligence for more efficient solid waste management in India.

Solid waste management is an environmental challenge affecting all spheres of environment including soil. However, little is known about the status of soil under abandoned dumpsites. The present study investigated the soil properties in the abandoned dumpsites of different ages in Aba Metropolis namely Umunwankwo (25 years) and Umuigwe (3 years) dumpsites. Ten 10m x10m quadrats were delineated in each dumpsites and relatively disturbed forest (RDF) i.e. control plot. A soil sample was collected in each quadrat using soil auger at the topsoil (0-15cm depth); thus, 10 soil samples were collected from each dumpsite and RDF. Soil samples were collected into well-labelled polythene bags and brought into the laboratory. The soil samples were air-dried and carefully sieved with 2mm diameter mesh to separate the soil from stones. Thereafter, the soil samples were taken to the laboratory for analysis to determine the levels of the physical and chemical properties in the dumpsites and RDF using standard techniques. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Results showed that sand content was predominantly high in the study area and silt content (3.15±0.6%), Organic C (3.33±0.6%), total N (0.33±0.1%) and K (0.50±0.2 meq/100g) were significantly highest in the abandoned dumpsite of 3 years while P was significantly higher in the abandoned dumpsite of 25 years. Heavy metals were highest in the abandoned dumpsite of 3 years except Cu which was highest in the abandoned dumpsite of 25 years (28.06±7.0 mg/kg). The physico-chemical properties of soil were higher in the dumpsite than the RDF and varied significantly among the plots at p<0.05. The study concluded that dumpsites have the capability of releasing heavy metals into the soil ecosystem but increase the soil nutrients. The study recommended that the solid wastes should be sorted to remove those that have potentials of releasing heavy metals.

This article examines the effectiveness of the National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS), established by Law n°. 12,305/2010, in municipalities with high socioeconomic vulnerability in the semi-arid region of Minas Gerais. The focus is on Teófilo Otoni and neighboring areas in the Mucuri Valley. The study uses a literature review and analyzes secondary data from official sources, including the IBGE. The results reveal several problems: the continuous existence of uncontrolled landfills, limited structured public policies, weak implementation of Municipal Integrated Solid Waste Management Plans (PMGIRS), and a lack of effective inter-municipal cooperation. Furthermore, the analysis highlights fragmented governance and inadequate technical and financial support for smaller municipalities. Although the PNRS represents a significant regulatory advancement, its implementation in peripheral regions is limited by structural and operational challenges. The study suggests that strengthening inter-municipal partnerships, promoting inclusive recycling practices, and ensuring sufficient funding mechanisms are vital to improving the policy's effectiveness at the local level.

The increasing generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) in Pekanbaru, a densely populated city in Riau Province, has led to higher waste management costs. In 2023, the city generated 1,011 tons of waste daily, with management costs reaching around IDR 93 billion. Traditional cost calculation methods are often inaccurate, failing to account for the activities involved in MSW management. This study develops an activity-based cost management model using Activity-Based Costing/Management (ABC/M) to map costs to specific waste management activities, combined with Causal Loop Diagrams (CLD) to analyze activity relationships and formulate a mathematical cost model. The application of ABC/M identified four primary waste management activities: collection, transportation, processing, and disposal. The results show a total waste management cost of approximately IDR 91 billion, with CLD revealing dynamics such as the impact of incentives on recycling rates and the balancing effects of transportation and waste bank usage on waste generation. This study contributes provides a novel cost model for municipal waste management, offering both theoretical and practical contributions for improving cost efficiency and resource allocation.

The purpose of the paper is to discuss the history of solid waste management (SWM) in. Canada based upon a comprehensive literature review. There has never been a history of SWM in Canada published. Solid waste regulation in Canada is different than in the U.S. The provincial governments establish regulations and policy for solid waste management. Today Canada has about 2600 open landfills and 10,000 closed landfills. Newfoundland Labrador and the northern territories still have some open dumps. In 1993, 70 % of the municipalities had recycling programs. Today Nova Scotia is the leading providence in landfill solid waste diversion. Toronto has a long history in SWM. They started garbage collection in 1834, opened their first incinerator in 1890, and started curbside recycling in 1987. Today they operate two anaerobic digesters to process organic MSW and a clean material recover facility.

As the cities grows, the challenges to settle proper infrastructure in Tier-II cities in India also grows as most demand and focus lie on Tier-I cities. Solid waste management (SWM) services, being one of the major infrastructural concerns is mostly overlooked in many Tier-II cities in India. Though municipalities have addressed many challenges in SWM services, yet it continues to face issues related to collection, treatment and management. Financial support for SWM services is an important question that needs to be addressed in academic research. This research aims to develop effective circular economy and sustainable solid waste management strategy for Cuttack City, a Tier-II city in India. This study focuses on estimating municipal solid waste (MSW) generation, evaluating existing management systems, identifying opportunities for improvement and formulating a financial model. Primary data was gathered through household surveys to understand waste generation behaviours, segregation practices, and willingness to pay (WTP) for enhanced waste management services. Secondary data, sourced from governmental reports and prior studies, was analysed to estimate waste generation, evaluate current solid waste management practices, and propose improvements. Analysis revealed that 70% of households in Cuttack City are willing to segregate and recycle waste, and an average of 80% of household are willing to pay for daily collection, Odor free services and street cleaning. The revenue generated out of WTP can be further used for investing on transportation of waste, labour wages, composting and recycling, which in turn returns the after-sale value in marketing.