The use of system dynamics on urban solid waste management: a literature analysis

Abstract Urban solid waste management is a complex system due to the many variables that compose it, which makes it difficult for managers to make decisions. Among the decision-making tools is system dynamics. To identify the gaps between the literature and the studies about urban solid waste management by using system dynamics method, a survey of published papers on the subject was made, which were later analyzed using some defined criteria, such as the level of the study, the software used for modeling, the variables included in the model, among others. The research identified that, among the stages of solid waste management, the collection process is still little incorporated in the models, being mentioned in only nine studies analyzed. Besides, the environmental, financial and institutional requirements were not adequately explored in the models. Future research should endeavor to include these elements in the models, which will allow the proposed system to be approximated to the complex reality of solid waste management.