Waste generators, particularly at the household level, waste collectors, and local governments play pivotal roles in municipal solid waste management (MSWM) systems worldwide, especially in developing countries. In the Indian state of Kerala, waste collection has been formalized through a predominantly female workforce known as the Haritha Karma Sena (HKS), which undertakes door-to-door collection of non-biodegradable waste from households. This initiative has significantly enhanced the efficiency of MSWM in the state. To systematically evaluate the performance of HKS and other key stakeholders in the MSWM system, this study proposes a comprehensive scoring system developed using the Delphi method. The framework encompasses twenty parameters across three primary stakeholders: waste generators, Haritha Karma Sena waste collectors, and Local Self Government Institutions (LSGIs). The scoring system is designed to identify critical performance gaps and guide improvements, ultimately enhancing the overall efficiency of MSWM in Kerala. Moreover, this model holds potential for adaptation in other developing countries with similar waste management challenges.
M.K. et al. (Tue,) studied this question.