Title: Assessing the viability of MSWM and measuring its abatement costs: a case study in Maharashtra

Authors: Priti Mastakar; Kakali Mukhopadhyay; Vijay Mastakar

Addresses: Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune, India ' Department of Agricultural Economics, McGill University, Macdonald Campus, 21,111, Lakeshore Road, Ste Anne de Bellevue, Montreal, Quebec, H9X3V9, Canada ' Citius Composites Pvt. Ltd., Pune, India

Abstract: Climate change risks are increasing due to human activities, particularly in developing nations such as India, where the large population produces significant amounts of waste that, when mismanaged, leads to the emission of greenhouse gases. This study conducts a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) of the ULB projects and assesses the financial viability of the MSWM projects in five Maharashtra cities, exploring the option of enhancing viability by incorporating environmental benefits. The present research seeks to quantify the effects of GHGs saved by MSWM using two methods - the EPA-WARM model and Collins (2009). The findings indicate that the most significant impact on resource optimisation comes from recycling procedures, with abatement benefits from practices such as bio-methanation and composting. Leveraging these benefits can help in earning carbon credits, and the successful implementation with community involvement can assist in efficient waste handling and the mitigation of climate change hazards. Enhanced cash flow and the monetisation of carbon credits can boost access to climate change funding by improving debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) and debt repayment (DR) capacity.

Keywords: municipal solid waste management; GHG emissions; Maharashtra; circular economy; recycling; carbon credits.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGE.2026.155227

International Journal of Green Economics, 2026 Vol.20 No.3, pp.215 - 250

Accepted: 24 Mar 2025
Published online: 29 Jul 2026 *

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