Work

Waste Management in Multi-Unit Dwellings: a Systematic Review of System Determinants and Circular Economy Positioning

Year: 2026

Type: review

Abstract: Waste diversion and recycling performance in multi-unit dwellings (MUDs) frequently underperforms compared to single-unit dwellings (SUDs). As urban densification in big cities increases the prevalence of MUDs, concerns have emerged regarding the effectiveness of waste management, resource recovery and recycling systems in MUD settings. However, limited research has systematically examined the influential determinants of an effective waste management system (WMS) in MUDs. Moreover, the positioning of MUD WMS within the broader circular economy’s 10R hierarchy has not been systematically assessed, and these systems often operate as linear consumption infrastructures that are subsequently retrofitted for diversion. This study addresses these gaps through a PRISMA-informed systematic review of 61 peer-reviewed studies. An inductive thematic analysis was conducted, from which four analytical domains emerged: infrastructural configuration, governance arrangements, social coordination, and behavioural practices. As a novel methodological contribution, this study develops and applies a hybrid circular economy diagnostic overlay, combining qualitative interpretation with a quantitative keyword frequency analysis of the 10R hierarchy. The findings indicate that barriers to effective waste management, resource recovery and recycling in MUDs rarely arise from isolated infrastructural, governance, social, or behavioural deficiencies but from systemic misalignments across these interdependent domains. Additionally, the 10R diagnostic overlay shows that literature predominantly emphasises lower-circularity strategies. Therefore, advancing circular economy transitions in MUDs requires coordinated alignment across these four domains of infrastructure, governance, social coordination and behaviour, rather than isolated domain-specific interventions. Furthermore, future research must move beyond siloed investigations and examine how higher-circularity strategies could be operationalised within MUD contexts.

Source: Circular Economy and Sustainability

DOI: 10.1007/s43615-026-01138-0

Authors: Niresh Shrestha, Atiq Zaman, Dora Marinova

Institution: Curtin University

Language: English

Topic: Municipal Solid Waste Management

Subfield: Waste Management and Disposal

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Responsible consumption and production, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,090