Waste management in developing countries: a systematic literature review of policy implementation

Background Waste management in developing countries is a significant governance challenge that hinders progress toward the SDGs. Despite policy efforts and aid, implementation gaps persist, characterized by fragmented institutions, exclusionary formalization, and the marginalization of the informal recycling sector, which is essential to waste systems. Objective This review explores how policy integration and multi-stakeholder collaboration influence waste management in developing countries. It aims to: (1) categorize implementation models; (2) synthesize success factors and barriers; (3) analyze outcomes and trade-offs; and (4) propose future research and policy actions. Methods Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we conducted a systematic search of Scopus and Web of Science for peer-reviewed articles published between 2014 and 2025. After screening 310 records, 25 articles met the inclusion criteria: empirical or conceptual studies examining waste management policy implementation in developing countries from social science, governance, or public policy perspectives. Results We identify three implementation models and theorize the co-constitutive relationship between policy integration and collaboration. The hybrid model offers the greatest potential for inclusivity but risks power imbalances and co-optation. Successful cases such as Brazilian cooperatives and Indonesian Waste Banks demonstrate that formal legal recognition, reserved contracts, infrastructure, and social protections help integrate informal workers equitably. Conclusion Waste management transformation demands policy integration and stakeholder collaboration as co-constitutive governance. Governments should move beyond policy borrowing to context-sensitive adaptation; donors must reform financing biases and invest in knowledge infrastructure; and civil society must mobilize collective agency for inclusive formalization. The findings contribute to implementation theory, offering perspectives on distributive justice, democracy, and accountability.