Recent advances in modeling solid waste management

Solid waste management (SWM) constitutes a complex and multidisciplinary challenge that plays a critical role in achieving sustainable development, requiring decision-making frameworks capable of coherently integrating strategic–tactical, and operational dimensions. However, we found that most existing contributions remind predominantly focused on tactical decision level, with limited adoption of explicit multi-level perspectives that simultaneously address strategic planning, operational execution, and social dynamics. Current modeling approaches largely emphasize isolated tasks while frequently overlooking key aspects including uncertainty in waste generation, stakeholder co-responsibility, and bidirectional policy operation feedback. To address these issues, this paper conducts a structured literature review using five-step methodological approach grounded in Reisman’s taxonomy. A total of 97 studies are classified according to decision-making levels, data characteristics, applied tool, data characteristic, and uncertainty-handling approaches. In addition, a comparative analysis between academic research priorities and real-world SWM challenges is performed to systematically characterize the research-practice gap. The results indicate that only a limited number of studies adopt a holistic and integrated perspective, thereby constraining adaptability, scalability, and resilience of proposed solutions in dynamic and uncertain contexts. Building on this findings, this paper identifies critical directions for future research, emphasizing the need for models that explicitly articulate strategic, tactical, and operational decisions within a unified decision-making structure. In response, we propose an Integrated Multi-Level Decision Frameworks for SWM that formalizes the interaction among decision levels. The proposed framework advances existing approaches by redefining SWM as a bidirectional and adaptive resource management system, capable of supporting more resilient, participatory, and sustainability-oriented waste management policies aligned with circular economy objectives.