A governance model for sustainable municipal solid waste management: Aligning the sector with Pakistan’s economic goals

Pakistan’s economy is transitioning from crisis to stability, necessitating the alignment of public service sectors like Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management with the country’s economic conditions. By leveraging discrete mathematics and logical frameworks, this study identifies the potential of the waste sector to reduce public expenditure and contribute to economic sustainability. The proposed Wasteism Hierarchy Approach (WHA) offers policy guidelines across waste hierarchy levels to aid decision-making for municipalities, waste management companies, and local governments. Key considerations include the interplay of waste collection modes, fleet management, infrastructure, and catchment areas. Additionally, a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) framework ranks and prioritizes feasible MSW treatment and disposal options. This research highlights the integration of the waste sector into the circular economy and its potential to address climate change, promote regenerative agriculture, and support local economic sustainability.