Strategies of municipal local governments for mitigating environmental and health risks: a systematic review

Abstract

The disposal of municipal solid waste has transcended the realm of municipal logistics to become a governance phenomenon where public health imperatives and environmental sustainability collide. This research examines the institutional response capacity to the health externalities stemming from inadequate waste management. Following the procedural rigor of the PRISMA 2020 protocol, a systematic review design was implemented to identify emerging patterns in waste management. The analytical purification process allowed us to select a critical sample of 25 articles extracted from an initial universe of 138 records in the Scopus, Web of Science and SciELO databases, thus establishing an observation framework limited to the period 2021-2026 to determine the predominant trends in the specialized literature. The transition to a circular economy and the inclusion of grassroots recyclers are notable advances; however, factors such as financial insecurity and a lack of political continuity ultimately undermine the real effectiveness of these processes. The results also warn that the persistence of leachate and emissions in marginalized areas deepens environmental equity gaps. Ultimately, the conclusion is that municipal efficiency lies not in mere technical innovation, but in the design of preventative models that effectively integrate the socioeconomic realities of the territory with long-term resilience policies.