Eco-efficiency assessment of municipal solid waste services: Influence of exogenous variables

Improving the eco-efficiency of municipalities in the provision of municipal solid waste (MSW) services is fundamental in the context of a circular economy. This study evaluates the eco-efficiency of a sample of Spanish municipalities, integrating the total cost as input, recyclable waste as desirable output, and unsorted waste as undesirable output. Following a pioneering approach, the weighted Russell directional distance model (a non-radial data envelopment analysis model) was employed, which allowed us to obtain a global inefficiency score and individual inefficiency scores for each variable integrated in the model. In the second stage of analysis, the potential factors affecting the previously computed inefficiency scores were investigated. The results indicated that one third of the municipalities evaluated were eco-efficient in the provision of MSW services with the total cost being the variable in which the municipalities exhibited the best performance. Moreover, the size of the municipalities, population served, population density, tourism, and availability of containers for separative collection of paper, glass, and plastic significantly affect the eco-efficiency of the municipalities. The findings of this study provide detailed information to support decision-making for the policy makers to improve the eco-efficiency of the municipalities in managing MSW.