Urban solid waste management in Latin America: a conceptual approach

Abstract

Introduction: Demographic increase and the great variety of industrialized products together with the change in people's consumption behaviors, has caused an increase in the generation of solid waste and it is estimated that it will be increasing, which is why it is essential that there is adequate management of them, in order to preserve the health of people and the environment. Objective: The objective of this review article was to describe an overview of solid waste management in Latin American countries and thus synthesize the information already reported. Materials and methods: A search was carried out in different databases and bibliographic sources. 25 scientific articles were included and selected according to the inclusion criteria described in the study. Results: These reflect that there are still many deficiencies in solid waste management in Latin American countries and mainly lie in the lack of social awareness, environmental education and the will of the authorities to comply with the stipulated regulations. Conclusion: In conclusion, a real commitment by governments and the population as a whole is required to achieve a comprehensive change in management.