PERFORMANCE INDICATORS APPLIED TO URBAN SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

Abstract

Urban solid waste management requires instruments capable of translating the operational complexity of municipal systems into structured information that supports consistent diagnoses, and performance indicators emerge as essential tools for assessing efficiency, sustainability, and institutional capacity. This study conducted a bibliographic review to understand how different authors structure indicators applied to waste management, examining their purposes, evaluated dimensions, and potential use in public planning. The analysis showed that well-developed indicators assist in identifying weaknesses, monitoring operations, and defining strategies that encourage gradual improvements in collection, treatment, and final disposal services. The results indicated that combining operational, environmental, social, and institutional indicators enhances diagnostic accuracy and strengthens governance, contributing to management models aligned with contemporary sustainability requirements. It was found that structured methodologies, when applied continuously, allow monitoring performance patterns and guiding evidence-based interventions, consolidating indicators as indispensable instruments for improving public policies and promoting consistent advances in municipal solid waste management systems.