Municipal Solid Waste Collection, Transportation, and Segregation

In recent years, the volume of municipal solid waste (MSW) has been increasing at an alarming rate globally due to accelerating economic development, urbanization, population growth, rising living standards, and technological advancements. Large-scale environmental pollution is caused by the production of municipal solid waste, mostly due to the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs). The major types of MSWs are food wastes, paper, cardboard, wood, plastics, metals, glass, batteries, used electronic appliances, medicines, and automotive parts. MSW must be collected, transported, and segregated properly to be disposed of safely and to minimize environmental pollution. The most popular techniques of MSW management (MSWM) include landfilling, incineration, composting, anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis, fuel generation, and recycling. Efficient waste management practices can help conserve resources, reduce energy consumption, minimize the need for landfill space, prevent the spread of infectious diseases, improve public health, create new employment opportunities, generate revenue, and, last but not least, mitigate climate change. However, as of today, municipalities face considerable obstacles to adopting sustainable waste management strategies due to insufficient funds, illegal dumping, and inadequate infrastructure. This chapter focuses on the effective methods and techniques involved in the collection, transportation, and segregation of municipal solid waste.