Title: Barriers to sustainable municipal waste management in Türkiye: a fuzzy multi-criteria evaluation

Authors: Yesim Deniz Ozkan-Ozen; Aylin Caliskan; Yucel Ozturkoglu

Addresses: Department of Logistics Management, Yasar University, 35100, İzmir, Turkey ' Department of Business Administration, Yasar University, 35100, İzmir, Turkey ' Department of Logistics Management, Yasar University, 35100, İzmir, Turkey

Abstract: Waste management is a key element of the circular economy and, when implemented by municipalities, contributes to economic benefits, resource efficiency, environmental protection, and public health. However, sustainable municipal waste management is constrained by various barriers. Overcoming these barriers requires effective strategies that support efficient resource use and sustainable practices. This study aims to identify the barriers faced in sustainable municipal waste management and evaluate them according to their relative importance in order to provide guidance for policymakers and academics. To prioritise these barriers, the fuzzy criteria importance through intercriteria correlation (CRITIC) method is employed, with an application conducted in an emerging economy, Türkiye. The originality of the study lies in systematically identifying and ranking the barriers to sustainable municipal waste management, thereby revealing critical focus areas for municipal strategies. The results indicate that technical and social barriers are the most significant. The study concludes by proposing a conceptual framework. [Submitted 10 September 2024; Accepted 1 December 2025]

Keywords: municipal waste management; sustainable operations; circular economy; barriers; Türkiye.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMR.2026.154548

International Journal of Manufacturing Research, 2026 Vol.20 No.2, pp.152 - 172

Received: 10 Sep 2024
Accepted: 01 Dec 2025
Published online: 03 Jul 2026 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article