Municipal Solid waste management systems: application of SWOT methodology to analyze an Argentinean case study

Abstract

Historically, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) systems emerged in response to society’s needs for managing manufacturing and consumption waste. However, the waste generation in modern cities present several new features that affect the MSW system. These new features include both positive aspects, such as innovative recycling techniques and increased public environmental awareness, as well as challenging aspects, including a rise in the amount of waste generated and in the complexityof waste composition. As a result, MSW systems have to adapt to new opportunities and threats offer by the context by exploiting their strong and weak points. In this line, this article conducts a comprehensive review of contemporary material and waste flows, followed by a revision of the current state of the MSW systems in Argentina and a particular analysis of an Argentinean case study using SWOT (StrengthsWeaknesses-Opportunities-Threats) methodology. The findings of this analysis highlighted the competitiveness of SWOT methodology to formulate strategies to develop more efficient MSW systems.