Municipal Waste Management: Challenges and Perspectives from an Environmental Sustainability Perspective

The study addressed the issue of municipal solid waste management, highlighting its impact on public health, the environment and sustainable development. A review of national and international research showed that waste management has been limited by structural, logistical and institutional factors, despite the existence of regulations such as the General Law on Solid Waste in Peru. It was analysed how segregation at source, recovery and reduction of waste were key actions that municipalities should have promoted, although they faced significant challenges. It was also documented that the participation of citizens, businesses and educational institutions was decisive in the effectiveness of environmental management programmes. Empirical evidence showed that local public policies did not always achieve tangible changes, as in the Brazilian case, where management indicators did not improve significantly. In other contexts, such as in India and South Africa, a lack of accurate data and low waste recovery was observed, which made sustainable planning difficult. It was concluded that successful waste management depended on a systemic, preventive and participatory approach, integrating appropriate technologies, quantification methodologies and a strengthened environmental culture. Finally, the urgent need to invest in infrastructure and strengthen the institutional capacity of local governments to achieve sustainable and healthy cities was emphasised.