Municipal Solid Waste management in Mumbai: Trends, Challenges and pathways towards sustainable and circular waste management

Abstract Municipal solid waste management is an important environmental challenge in rapidly urbanising cities. Mumbai generates several thousand tonnes of municipal solid waste every day, placing pressure on collection, transportation, processing facilities and land resources. This study examines the status, trends, major challenges and sustainability pathways associated with municipal solid waste management in Mumbai. It is based on secondary information from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), government policy documents and environmental reports. The evidence indicates that Mumbai has expanded its waste-processing infrastructure, including processing, dry-waste segregation, biomining and waste-to-energy facilities. Nevertheless, source-segregation gaps, mixed waste, legacy waste, land constraints, transportation requirements, recycling challenges and public participation remain important concerns. The study argues for a shift from a conventional “collect and dispose” approach towards waste prevention, source segregation, resource recovery and circular waste management.