Smart Waste Management Systems: A Comprehensive Review of IoT- Enabled Technologies, Frameworks, and Future Directions

Abstract

With global municipal solid waste (MSW) generation exceeding 2.01 billion tonnes annually and 33% inadequately managed, smart waste management systems have emerged as critical solutions for sustainable urban development. This comprehensive review systematically analyzes IoT-enabled smart waste management technologies, frameworks, and implementations from 2015-2024. Through analysis of 78 peer-reviewed publications, this study identifies five major technological categories: sensor technologies, communication protocols, data analytics approaches, system architectures, and optimization algorithms. Key findings reveal 20-35% efficiency improvements in collection routes, 25-40% reduction in operational costs, and 15-30% decrease in carbon emissions across various implementations. However, significant challenges remain in standardization, scalability, and long-term sustainability. This review proposes a unified evaluation framework and identifies seven critical research gaps requiring immediate attention. This study provides researchers and practitioners with a roadmap for advancing smart waste management technologies toward truly sustainable urban ecosystems.