A strategic review on Municipal Solid Waste (living solid waste) management system focusing on policies, selection criteria and techniques for waste-to-value

The huge build-up of untreated Municipal solid waste (MSW) is one of the major problems of the modern world. The uncontrolled waste generation and its accumulation are due to the rapid population rise, rapid urbanization, and inefficient MSW management systems. An efficient and sustainable MSW management system is a necessity worldwide, especially in lower and middle-income countries. Efficient MSW management supports a country in preserving the environment and adapting to eco-friendly methods. The selection criteria for deciding on the suitable waste treatment methods are addressed using Economic Cost (EcC) & Environment Cost (EnC) analysis. This study effectively classifies the different waste treatment methods into conventional and non-conventional methods to explain the suitability and effectiveness of each method. Highlighting the concept of waste-to-value, further elaboration on waste-to-energy (generation of energy in the form of heat and electricity), waste-to-material (producing value-added products like slag, char, soil manures, bio-oils, chemicals, etc.) have been done. An estimation of the gap in the MSW management systems for the different income-levelled countries is presented based on the waste management policies and tactics employed by the governing bodies. The study also offers valuable suggestions to bridge the gap in MSW management between the high-income and low-income countries including new trends in technology. This review focuses on establishing the importance of an effective MSW management system to help in the sustainable development of countries throughout the world.