Increasing population levels, booming economy, rapid urbanization
and the rise in community living standards have greatly
accelerated the municipal solid waste generation rate in developing
countries (Minghua et al., 2009). Municipalities, usually
responsible for waste management in the cities, have the challenge
to provide an effective and efficient system to the inhabitants.
However, they often face problems beyond the ability of the municipal
authority to tackle (Sujauddin et al., 2008) mainly due to lack
of organization, financial resources, complexity and system multi
dimensionality (Burntley, 2007).
In the last years, a large number of research studies have been
undertaken to determine influential factors affecting waste management
systems in cities in developing countries. An examination
of the publications from 2005 to 2011, from two of the major scientific
journals, related to waste management, Waste Management
Journal and Waste Management and Research, 37 showed information
related to factors affecting the system. Surprisingly, few gave
quantitative information.
This research has the aim to determine the stakeholders that
have an interest in the waste management system of cities under
study and the factors that influence the performance of the system
in three continents, from more than thirty urban areas in twenty
two developing countries.