Integrated circular economy approach for municipal solid waste management in the Addis Ababa–Adama corridor, Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Sub-Saharan Africa's municipal solid waste collection averages only 44% (2010–2018), and mismanaged waste is a growing environmental and public-health burden. The SuCCESS24 project developed and tested an integrated decision-support methodology, combining Material Flow Analysis (MFA), hotspot screening, scenario modeling, an SDG-based multi-dimensional sustainability assessment, and Obstacle-Based Planning (OBP) for the Addis Ababa–Adama corridor in Ethiopia, with transferability tested in Ghana. The functional unit was 1 tonne of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated per year; 68% of model parameters were primary data from structured interviews and 32% were secondary data. The organic fraction (65–69.5% of MSW) and its open disposal emerged as the dominant environmental hotspot. Diverting organic waste to composting cut greenhouse gas GHG emissions by 14–35% across corridor towns (up to 35% in Bishoftu, at a 50% diversion rate), and the SDG-based assessment linked this shift to safer formal employment and improved income security for waste workers. To address institutional fragmentation behind the corridor's 52% formal collection rate, the project proposes a Special-Purpose Association governance model. Together, the technical and governance findings show how corridor-scale MFA and institutional innovation can be combined to advance circular economy planning in Sub-Saharan Africa and support the UN 2030 Agenda.