A new report from Navigant Research analyzes the global market for smart waste technologies, with a focus on four application segments: smart collection, smart processing, smart energy recovery, and smart disposal. 

Aiming to enhance the collection of municipal solid waste (MSW), generate renewable energy, and optimize the environmental performance of landfills, municipal governments and private waste management companies are adopting emerging smart technologies for the collection, processing, and disposal of MSW.  The use of these technologies results in more integrated waste management offerings that move beyond the traditional use of labor, diesel trucks, and open pits to discard MSW.  According to a recent report from Navigant Research, cumulative worldwide revenue from smart waste technologies is expected to total more than $42 billion from 2014-2023. 

“At the heart of the smart MSW revolution lies a focus on waste as a strategic renewable resource for material and energy recovery,” says Mackinnon Lawrence, research director with Navigant Research.  “Given that the total volume of waste generated globally is expected to grow by nearly 50 percent over the next 10 years, the adoption of innovative technologies for MSW is both a business opportunity and an environmental imperative.”

Smart MSW technologies touch on the four principal phases of the traditional MSW management value chain, according to the report: collection, processing, energy recovery, and disposal.  Although as much as 43 percent of the global MSW stream is handled today by some aspect of the smart MSW technology market at some point along the existing chain, the market is still in its infancy.

The report, “Smart Waste”, provides global market forecasts for the volume of MSW generated and managed globally and the revenue generated from the deployment of smart waste technologies, segmented by geography and smart waste segment, extend through 2023.  The report also examines key stakeholder initiatives, regulatory issues, market drivers, challenges, and technology developments and profiles the major stakeholders across the MSW value chain.  An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the Navigant Research website.

About Navigant Research

Navigant Research, the dedicated research arm of Navigant, provides market research and benchmarking services for rapidly changing and often highly regulated industries.  In the energy sector, Navigant Research focuses on in-depth analysis and reporting about global clean technology markets.  The team’s research methodology combines supply-side industry analysis, end-user primary research and demand assessment, and deep examination of technology trends to provide a comprehensive view of the Smart Energy, Smart Utilities, Smart Transportation, and Smart Buildings sectors.