Current status of municipal solid waste in medium-sized Brazilian cities through integrated management

Impacts related to inadequate waste management have been extensively studied and it is important to know the current situation of municipalities regarding the execution of public waste management services. In this context, this work aimed to present an overview of integrated solid waste management in Brazilian medium-sized cities. A total of 176 municipalities with a population of 100,000 to 250,000 inhabitants were evaluated, and eight indicators were considered to assess the integrated sustainable waste management. The average generation of municipal solid waste in medium-sized municipalities was 0.91 kg/person/day. The waste collection covers 95% of the urban population and 70% of the cities destine their waste to landfills. The rate of recovery of recyclables was 2.56%. In conclusion, municipalities need to develop an integrated waste management plan to address local difficulties, the plan must consider the social, environmental, economic and political aspects.