Integrated Solid Waste Management in Guatemala from the Perspective of Urban Metabolism and Circular Economy

Abstract

This article examines the challenges and opportunities of solid waste management in Guatemala from the perspectives of urban metabolism and the circular economy. Based on a systematized documentary review of technical, regulatory, and academic sources, complemented by interviews with key institutional actors and a regulatory analysis of the repealed Governmental Agreement 164-2021, the study identifies the main institutional, technical, and socioeconomic gaps that hinder the transition toward a circular model. The findings reveal a fragmented management system, dominated by inadequate disposal practices and weak coordination among levels of governance. The article concludes that Guatemala requires a unified legal framework, sustainable financing mechanisms, and an extended producer responsibility policy that strengthens multilevel environmental governance.