Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management Research Articles

The path to sustainable municipal solid waste management: Do human development, energy efficiency, and income inequality matter?

AbstractThis paper explores the economic, social, and technical dynamics affecting municipal solid waste (MSW) per capita in organisation for economic co‐operation and development (OECD) countries from 2003 to 2018. Static and dynamic panel data methods are followed for empirical analysis. According to the estimation results, there is an inverted‐U‐shaped relationship between economic growth and MSW. The turning point income level, where technological and structural effects occur, is calculated in the range of $20,000–$34,000. Human development and energy efficiency have mitigating effects on MSW. Energy efficiency and human development are critical for sustainable MSW management. Credit expansion has an increasing effect on MSW generation. Financial development draws attention as a negative indicator in sustainable waste management targets. All models confirm that income inequality has an increasing effect on MSW generation. In addition, poverty reduction is associated with an increase in MSW generation. Thus, income inequality and poverty reduction are a major constraint for sustainable MSW management. After all, the empirical findings of this paper can guide authorities in designing waste management policies.

Towards a Framework for Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management: The Case of Swakopmund Municipality, Namibia

If municipal solid waste (MSW) is not properly managed, harmful environmental consequences are imminent. MSW materials are rarely wasted in many affluent countries, but rather are kept in the economic cycle through circular economy models. While in many developing countries, MSW materials are discarded with little to no effort of repairing or recycling. Moving to a circular economy will drastically reduce the amount of waste currently disposed of. This study examines how the Swakopmund Municipality in Namibia’s present municipal solid waste management techniques could be adjusted toward sustainability to reap environmental and socioeconomic benefits from the trash. Source reduction, separation at source, and recycling are some of the most effective strategies in the circular economy models that will help achieve the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Swakopmund Municipality should invest in infrastructure, techniques, and programs that are within the circular economy model as an emerging system for sustainability.

An Optimization Model for the Design of a Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management System

Solid waste management is critical to sustainable, healthy, and eco-friendly cities and societies. In developing countries, only a small percentage of municipal solid waste is disposed safely, while the majority remains in the streets or disposed in open landfills. Most countries seek to establish effective and efficient solid waste management system (SWMS) that can handle and dispose of the daily generated waste at minimum cost and in a sustainable manner. Those systems usually consist of waste sources, waste collection stations, landfills, incinerators, and recycling plants, in addition to the transportation system that integrates the different sub-systems. The problem facing decision-makers while designing or reconfiguring a SWMS is to determine the optimal supply chain network design for such systems in a way that ensures the treatment and disposal of all daily generated waste at the lowest cost. In this context, this paper aims to develop a generic optimization model suitable for application in SWMS optimization in developing countries. A new mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model is formulated for a SWMS configuration that integrates waste generation sources, collection/transfer stations, recycling plants, incinerators, and landfills. The proposed MILP model is formulated to determine the optimal number and locations of the different facilities, and the optimal flow of waste in the system that minimizes the net daily cost incurred in the system. The model has been applied in a case study on the SWMS in Fayoum Governorate, Egypt. The main contribution of this research refers both to the theoretical development of a generic MILP model that can be applied to optimally design the SWMS in developing countries, and to its operational counterpart, as per the design solutions provided in the SWMS of Fayoum Governorate (Egypt).

Forging Partnerships and Fostering Wisdom: Dynamics of an Environmental Public Interest Litigation Network in Advocating Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management in China

Abstract This article investigates the efforts of the Environmental Public Interest Litigation Network (EPIL Network) to understand how Chinese environmental civil society proactively created a network to mobilize resources, forge collaborative actions, and build capacities and foster wisdom to catalyze changes in the environmental rule of law and in the area of municipal solid waste management. Using civil society network analysis, this article aims to identify and account for interactions between the EPIL Network and other stakeholders, including the government. Finally, the study highlights the contributions of the EPIL Network, which provides an option for resolving political conflicts in China regarding municipal waste management.

Environmentally Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management- A Case Study of Surat, Gujarat, India

Environmentally Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management- A Case Study of Surat, Gujarat, India

Please sort out your rubbish! An integrated structural model approach to examine antecedents of residential households’ waste separation behaviour

A pro-environmental behaviour to solve the problem of household waste and achieve sustainable municipal solid waste management is waste separation behaviour (WSB). As part of pro-environmental behaviour, WSB is argued to be influenced by rational decision-making approach (i.e. the theory of planned behaviour [TPB]) and moral norms approach (i.e. norm activation model [NAM]). Drawing from the integration of the TPB and the NAM along with the addition of a moderator i.e. ‘local government support’ as an external predictor of WSB, a new model was developed. Using structural equation modelling, this study tested the integrated structural model amongst 1697 household residents in the city of Joondalup, Australia. The SmartPLS results indicated that the personal norm, social norms and perceived behavioural control were found to be the major factors influencing residents towards WSB while both attitudes and local government support were unexpectedly found to have no significant influence thereon. Furthermore, the perceived behavioural control was found to have the highest effect on WSB. This indicates the more Joondalup residents feel confident and capable of sorting the waste at source, they will be more driven towards sorting their waste using the three-bin system. These findings are useful for promoting and planning WSB by policy-makers to ease the waste disposal problem.

Life cycle assessment-based optimization approaches for sustainable disposal of municipal solid waste

Increasing municipal solid waste (MSW) has caused severe environmental pollution and social problems, which require effective treatment and resource utilization. Therefore, combined with advanced sustainable gasification technology, a classified MSW collection, transportation, and treatment process was established in this study. To optimize MSW management, a mathematical multi-objective model was established to optimize the revenue from the value-added energy electricity products and control greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. Life cycle assessment (LCA) was introduced into the objective evaluation to quantitatively evaluate the environmental greenhouse effect caused by gasification technology. Then, to further explore regional variations in gasification implementation, four practical case studies were presented to demonstrate the applicability and efficiency of the proposed model in selecting the disposal processes, determining volumes, generating income, and controlling GHG emissions. The sensitivity analysis of the gasification ratio (GR) in different cases shows that an increase in GR will improve economic benefits and reduce GHG emissions. In addition, the optimal GR varies in countries; for example, it was 0.6–0.7 in China, 0.9 in the USA, 0.6–0.8 in the UK and Japan. Therefore, a practical and effective management method for MSW gasification based on LCA is proposed, which can assist in the development of targeted, valid emission reduction measures for MSW gasification to reduce the environmental impact and provide practical guidance for the MSW gasification implementation. • A multi-objective model was built to optimize sustainable MSW gasification system. • Life cycle assessment is validly applied to the normalized evaluation of environmental objective. • The balance between economic and environmental benefits was achieved. • Different technical configurations can be set up to adapt to more real and universal situations. • Practical guidance is provided in sustainable MSW management from real life case.

Sustainability Assessment of the Municipal Solid Waste Management in Russia Using the Decoupling Index

The annual growth of the municipal solid waste (MSW) generated and the exhaustion of existing landfills capacity have led to the processes of reforming the waste sector in Russia. But the question remains open: what is the optimal ratio between waste management practices for building a sustainable MSW management system? The purpose of this article is to evaluate the sustainability of the MSW management system in Russia according to various scenarios of its development using the decoupling index. Based on the strategic documents, authors constructed three scenarios for the MSW industry development in Russia until 2024: scenario 1 (basic), scenario 2 (MSW utilization via recycling), scenario 3 (MSW utilization via recycling and MSW incineration at WTE plants). After that, the decoupling index for all scenarios was calculated. In general, calculations of the decoupling index for 2022-2024 showed that for all scenarios (except for scenario 3 in 2022), the industry is moving into the zone of absolute sustainability. The greatest sustainability is achieved in scenario 2 – for this scenario the absolute value of the decoupling index is maximum in 2023 and 2024, thereby confirming the role of recycling in increasing the sustainability of the MSW management system. The results can be used by decision makers when reforming the MSW management system to choose the optimal ratio between the MSW management practices and the appropriate regulatory tools.

Analysis of solid waste management scenarios using the WARM model: Case study

The production of municipal solid waste (MSW) is a critical global issue, due to the large amount of waste produced and the environmental impacts it can generate if they are managed improperly. The implementation of modern and efficient solutions, such as waste-to-energy technologies, are important for sustainable development, minimizing environmental impacts and producing renewable energy. MSW managers should use tools, such as scenario analysis, to assess management options more broadly and accurately. Thus, this study aims to analyze alternative scenarios using the Waste Reduction Model (WARM) to find the best solutions for sustainable management of MSW in the city of Xangri-lá (southern Brazil). One hundred and fourteenth (114) scenarios were evaluated that included recycling, landfill (no gas recovery and with flare gas recovery) and Waste-to-Energy (WTE) technologies (landfill with biogas recovery for energy, anaerobic digestion, and incineration). Then, after obtaining the outputs of different scenarios simulated in WARM model, the statistical methods (Principal Component Analysis, Hierarchical Clustering Analysis and Correlation Analysis) were used for data analysis. In addition, an easy-of-use regression model was calibrated to predict intermediate scenarios not covered in the Design of Experiment. The results of this work suggest that the priority, most sustainable, and low-cost strategy for the city of Xangri-lá is to encourage and promote initiatives to gradually increase recycling rates. Afterwards, the biogas collection from the landfill for energy generation presents itself as a viable alternative, mainly in a short period of time. Finally, as long-term solutions, anaerobic digestion and incineration techniques must be implemented, mainly through the establishment of inter-municipal waste management consortia.

Optimal Process Network for Integrated Solid Waste Management in Davao City, Philippines

Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) systems in developing countries adopt practices from developed countries to reduce their environmental burdens. However, several complex issues specific to developing countries hinder the full implementation of these practices. The future of MSWM in Davao City, Philippines, is envisaged as a notable example of the combination of new infrastructure and local MSWM practices. A linear programming model was developed, following material flow analysis and life cycle assessment, to design an optimal system for Davao City. The performance of the system was evaluated in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, energy and revenue generated, and the amount of landfill waste. The results show that the proposed system positively affects the environment compared to the current system, due to additional treatment options. However, the main allocation concern transitions from organic waste in the current system to plastic waste in future scenarios. Furthermore, the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and the extension of landfill life will be heavily influenced by trade-offs between sorting operations and the management of incinerated wastes with high calorific values. Therefore, plastic-waste-specific treatment options will be critical for future MSWM systems. The results herein underscore the need for sustainable MSWM in the study area, considering the region-specific conditions.

Yard waste prediction from estimated municipal solid waste using the grey theory to achieve a zero-waste strategy.

Yard waste is one of the key components of municipal solid waste and can play a vital role in implementing zero-waste strategy to achieve sustainable municipal solid waste management. Therefore, the objective of this study is to predict yard waste generation using the grey theory from the predicted municipal solid waste generation. The proposed model is implemented using municipal solid waste generation data from the City of Winnipeg, Canada. To identify the generation factors that influence municipal solid waste generation and yard waste generation, a correlation analysis is performed among eight socio-economic factors and six climatic factors. The GM (1, 1) model is utilized to predict individual factors with overall MAPE values of 0.06%−10.39% for the in-sample data, while the multivariable GM (1, N) grey model is employed to forecast the quarterly level of municipal solid waste generation with overall MAPE values of 5.64%−7.54%. In this study, grey models predict quarterly yard waste generation from the predicted municipal solid waste generation values using only twelve historical data points. The results indicate that the grey model (based on the error matrices) performs better than the linear and nonlinear regression-based models. The outcome of this study will support the City of Winnipeg’s sustainable planning for yard waste management in terms of budgeting, resource allocation, and estimating energy generation.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11356-022-19178-y.

Promoting the source separation of household kitchen waste based on comprehensive evaluation and economic feasibility

The source separation and treatment of food waste is urgent for sustainable municipal solid waste (MSW) management. Household kitchen waste (HKW) is relatively difficult to manage as large amounts are produced by dispersed sources. Although many countries and regions have begun to promote HKW source sorting, controversy over whether and how this approach could improve the comprehensive benefits of MSW management remains. This study constructed four most potential HKW source separation scenarios, and compared their energy efficiency, environmental impact and economic benefits were with the baseline full waste-incineration scenario to provide foundation for HKW management policy formation. The results showed that, when the amount of MSW stabilized, promoting HKW source separation had no significant advantages, while the overall benefits of HKW separation would be further expanded with continuous increases in the generation amount of MSW, and the economic cost would be acceptable. The suitable application conditions of different source separation modes vary. Centralized anaerobic digestion of HKW is a suitable choice for regions determined to promote long-term HKW separation, since it could reduce environmental impact by 3%–51% over the baseline scenario, and the comprehensive benefits would be further accentuated as the source separation rate increased. Small-scale on-site biochemical HKW treatment should not be widely utilized as it has high pollutant emissions and costs per-unit. Food waste disposers (FWDs) achieved outstanding waste reduction effect, and the government could guide the purchase of FWDs by residents according to the urban drainage system conditions. HKW source dewatering required the lowest cost and effort, and could be a suitable solution for regions that cannot promote strict HKW source separation.

Mapping of Environmental Pollution Risk Induced by Open Dumping Practice of Municipal Solid Waste in Karadiyana of Sri Lanka Using Geographic Information System

Quantification of environmental pollution risk (EPR) induced by open dumping practice of municipal solid waste (MSW) is important to improve MSW management practices and to provide effective countermeasures for mitigating EPR at the MSW open dumping site. This study targeted an open dumping site at Karadiyana, Western province of Sri Lanka and aimed to assess EPR by using geographical and hydrological information, water (landfill leachate and surface water) and soil quality monitoring for samples collected at the pollutant source (i.e., MSW dumping site) and its surrounding with monthly interval from June to December 2019 to cover both wet and dry periods. The maps of EPR induced by the pollutant source were visualized by analysing measured physicochemical parameters including heavy metals incorporating with interpolation and weighted overlay techniques of geographic information system (GIS). Results showed that the EPR mapharacterized well spatial distribution and seasonal variation of pollutants from the source. Especially, it was found that the pollutants flowed towards the Northwest and North from the pollutant source at the investigated site. It was also found that higher concentrations of phosphorous and heavy metals were observed from landfill leachate samples in dry season than those in wet season. The findings in this study raise the mapping of EPR would contribute to take actions for establishing environmental sound waste disposal and to promote sustainable MSW management practice in Sri Lanka.

Influence of Governance on Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management in Ruiru Sub-County, Kiambu County

Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste management has remained a big challenge in Africa and other resource constrained settings. However, to achieve sustainability, the gaps in governance of waste management need to be addressed speedily as populations are expanding rapidly, far exceeding available infrastructure and resources. Ruiru subcounty has a rapidly expanding population which has not been matched with sustainable waste management in commercial and residential sectors. This study sought to establish the influence of governance on Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste management in Ruiru Sub-County. Mixed methods research approach and descriptive research design were used in both data collection and analysis. This involved administration of Questionnaires, interviews and observation checklist through an online platform Kobo Collect. Results of the study showed that the County Government and subsequent sub-counties are responsible for waste management. Despites this mandate there are heaps of waste remain in commercial and residential areas. This is attributed to various governance challenges such as lack of prioritization of waste management, limited financial and human resources, minimal community participation, disregard of informal players in waste management cycle, weak implementation and enforcement of waste management policies. While it is desirable to attain sustainable solid waste management in Ruiru, and while the national legal frameworks are in place, there are major challenges and gaps in solid waste governance. Therefore, this study concludes enforceability of mechanisms, adequacy of funding, wholistic involvement of all players remain daunting. Unless these are addressed, sustainable waste management will only remain an unattainable goal.

Sustainable municipal solid waste management (MSWM) in the smart cities in Indian context

PurposeSmart cities in India are going to be a reality very soon by turning challenges into opportunities for the society. However, due to rapid increase in population burden, fast urbanization and growing demand of advanced services in the smart cities, the quantity of per capita municipal solid waste (MSW) has escalated. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has further challenged the municipal solid waste management (MSWM) system with the increasing amount of infectious wastes coming from households (HHs), quarantine centers, healthcare facilities, vaccination centers, etc. Therefore, the present study attempts to explore and analyze the various dimensions of sustainable MSWM system in the smart cities.Design/methodology/approachThe study identifies 13 factors of sustainable MSWM system from the literature, field surveys and stakeholders' opinions. Thereafter, stakeholders' opinions are collected and analyzed using total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) approach to explore the interrelationships among the factors of sustainable MSWM system. These relationships are further validated through the empirical investigation of the real-life case study of Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC), Odisha, India.FindingsThe TISM approach places all 13 factors into six levels in the hierarchical digraph depending upon the inputs received from the various stakeholders on their interrelationships. Study also validates the proposed TISM model by collecting the data of RMC, Odisha, on the development of MSWM system over the period of 2015–2021.Practical implicationsThe study also highlights various implications for the other developing cities and stakeholders to set up the roadmap for developing the sustainable MSWM system. Study defines “IT platform” and “awareness among citizens” as the base of the sustainable MSWM system in any smart city.Originality/valueThe present study is the first of its kind to explore the interrelationships among the factors of sustainable MSWM system by using TISM approach. Moreover, the proposed TISM framework is further validated through the empirical journey of one of the smart cities in India.

Municipal Solid Waste as an Alternate Source of Energy: A Review

Municipal solid waste (MSW) is a big environmental challenge. However; it is a potential source of recycling materials, heat and energy. In developed countries this waste is used as resource to produce energy and compost; whereas in developing countries like India, collection, transportation and disposal of MSW are a big task. Wastes to energy technologies (WTE-T) play important role in sustainable management of MSW throughout the world. These technologies reduce the amount of waste as well as produce energy, which can be used to generate electricity. These include thermochemical treatment technologies, biochemical treatment technologies and utilization of landfill gas. Thermochemical techniques include Incineration, Gasification, Pyrolysis, Plasma arc gasification and Hydrothermal carbonization. Incineration is the most common technique used for treatment of MSW. It reduces 70% mass and 90% volume of MSW and sterile ash remains as byproduct. Gasification is advantageous over incineration, as gases are not released into atmosphere. Pyrolysis is the anaerobic thermal degradation of MSW, carried out in an oxygen free environment, producing gases (syngas), liquid and solid residuals. Syngas is composed of methane, hydrogen, carbon mono oxide and carbon dioxide. It can be used in engines, boilers, turbines, fuel cells and heat pumps. Plasma arc gasification also involves partial oxidation of MSW. Syngas and high quality producer gas is obtained that can be used as transport fuel, heat and to generate electricity. Hydrothermal Carbonization (HTC) is a complex process through which hydro-char is produced, which is similar to coal and can be used as a solid fuel for heat and power generation. Organic fraction of MSW is biodegradable and has high energy content. Biochemical treatment technologies are designed to utilize this fraction of MSW. Anaerobic digestion of organic waste is performed by microbes in absence of oxygen in a closed container (biogas digester), resulting in the reduction of waste and production of a combustible gas, biogas, a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide. Landfill gas is rich in methane and must be used to produce heat and energy. It usually consists of 50% methane and 50% CO2. Gas is collected by pipes and reaches the wells installed inside the landfills.

Leachate from municipal solid waste landfills in a global perspective: Characteristics, influential factors and environmental risks

Landfilling is one of the most common measures for disposing municipal solid waste, while the environmental leakage of landfill leachate, a kind of wastewater with complex compositions and high-level pollutants, has become a crucial eco-environmental issue all over the world. Understanding the profiles of landfill leachate can be useful for promoting sustainable municipal solid waste management, however, there are very few studies at a global level because of data insufficiency. In this work, we established a global database on the physicochemical characteristics of landfill leachate from academic literature, including 1251 pieces of data from 236 provinces or cities in 51 countries. Concentrations of typical pollutants in landfill leachate were aggregated by different categories of countries, climate zones, and landfill ages. Correlations between typical leachate pollutants (chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand after five days, ammonia nitrogen, sulfate, chloridion, potassium, cadmium, chromium, ferrum, nickel, and lead) and their influential factors (mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation, landfill age, and the fraction of food waste) were analysed; and the environmental risks led by landfill leachate were assessed. Results showed that: (1) landfill leachate in developing countries at the dry temperature zone, as well as the moist and wet tropical zone, contained higher concentrations of chemical oxygen demand and biochemical oxygen demand after five days; (2) the percentage of food waste, as an influential factor, has a positive correlation with typical landfill leachate pollutants, with R2 varying from 0.07 to 0.18, indicating its high potential on transforming organic fraction in solid waste into leachate; (3) In regard to the environmental risk resulted from landfill leachate, the groundwater and surface water had greater risks than soil environment nearby the landfill. Besides, chemical oxygen demand, ammonia nitrogen, ferrum, chloridion and heavy metals, especially arsenic, cadmium, nickel, and manganese were dominating pollutants in groundwater and surface water. This work provides valuable data and parameters of global landfill leachate, which could be helpful to mitigate pollution from landfills and achieve the goals of sustainable municipal solid waste management.

Sustainable Technology in Developed Countries: Waste Municipal Management

As more studies were conducted and global events unfold, a greater emphasis is being placed on the importance of preserving the Earth's natural resources and cycles before we face a catastrophic climate crisis. Thus, developed countries are constantly adapting their policies and legislation to promote green development for the sake of sustainable development, which benefits both the environment and the socioeconomic segment. As populations grow and living standards improve, more waste is generated. Appropriate municipal waste management is necessary to avoid harm to the environment, wildlife, and human health. Sustainable municipal solid waste management is even included in the United Nations' (UN) Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to improve the world's environment and economy. The European Union (EU) member states' waste management systems can be considered exemplary. In some countries, landfills have been prohibited, promoting the use of more sustainable technologies such as organic waste incineration, recycling, and composting. However, a divide exists between member countries, with some lagging behind in terms of waste management strategies. Thus, this paper examined the current state of municipal waste in EU member states, followed by a review of the various disposal technologies implemented. The difficulties and environmental concerns that must be overcome are discussed, as are the recommendations and possible future directions.

A multi-objective location inventory routing problem with pricing decisions in a sustainable waste management system

This paper presents a multi-objective optimization model for a sustainable municipal solid waste management system, emphasizing recycling and waste-to-energy technologies. The objective functions attempt to minimize total net cost, greenhouse gas emissions, and total waste collection and treatment time. The social aspect of the system is controlled by assessing the social performance of waste treatment technologies. The novel feature of this study is incorporating pricing decisions into the traditional location-allocation-routing-inventory waste management problems. The model is implemented on a case study in the southeast part of Tehran and is solved using the Lexicographic and AUGMECON2 approaches. Comparing the results of these methods indicates that considering all three objective functions as equally important leads to 21.5% more costs and 27% less environmental effects, comparing when minimizing costs is the priority. Moreover, results suggest establishing a landfill with gas recovery, material recovery facility, and composting plant with capacities of 700, 500, and 1170 tons/day. The model's outcomes suggest considering a minimum social performance score between 1.5 and 2.5 for the system under study regarding the impact of social performance on the objective functions

Exploring the role of Black Soldier Fly Larva technology for sustainable management of municipal solid waste in developing countries

A rapid increase in population causes quantitative municipal solid wastes (MSW) in Pakistan, leading to serious public health and environmental impacts. Pakistan has social and environmental issues due to poor and inadequate waste management. Moreover, solid waste in Pakistan is 2.4% per year and 0.283 to 0.612 kg/capita/day. While the new scheme focuses primarily on waste collection and transportation, but the recovery rate is 68%. Insufficient waste collection and disposal would pollute the air, water, and soil that may cause a public health risk. The main techniques for waste disposal used in Pakistan include composting, landfilling, open dumping, incineration, anaerobic digestion, etc. However, these approaches are not ecological and cost-effective. The black soldier’s fly technology (BSF) effectively and biologically breaks down diverse biodegradable wastes under sub-tropical conditions. Most people worldwide use BSF larvae to degrade biodegradable matter, especially in tropical and developing countries. BSF innovation has a high potential to cope with the current challenges related to inadequate reliable waste management infrastructure as Pakistan has favorable environmental and climate conditions. It is also capable of fostering regional growth, creating jobs, and local recycling of degradable waste. Black soldier fly larvae technology is an environmentally friendly and cost-effective method because of its quick transition rate, good sustainability, and low cost-effectiveness compared to existing and other operating technologies in Pakistan. Organic waste becomes not only useful after being processed by BSFL but also produces high-value eco-friendly goods. This review highlights the role of BSFL for waste management, its benefits in Pakistan under the current environmental condition, and the biodegradation of various organic wastes under subtropical conditions. In this study, different kinds of practices used in Pakistan for waste management, including open dumping, landfilling, incineration, and anaerobic digestion, were compared. • Municipal solid wastes cause serious public health and environmental threats. • Pollution of air, water, and soil by insufficient waste collection and disposal. • Exploring the role of Black Soldier Fly Larva for sustainable municipal solid waste management. • Black fly soldier’s technology is an environmentally friendly and effective approach for degrading organic wastes. • Biotransformation of organic waste into high-value eco-friendly entities.