From Waste Diagnosis to Transition Design: A Multi-scale Framework for Organics-First Reform in Cusco, Peru

Abstract

Municipal solid waste systems cannot be judged by collection alone, because high service reach may coexist with weak downstream control and limited recovery. This study develops a multi-scale prioritization framework for organics-first reform in Cusco, Peru, under disposal constraint. The analysis integrates 2019–2024 official waste statistics, district and generator characterization records, tourism data, oversight documents, and field evidence from 2024 stakeholder meetings and interviews. Results show rising waste pressure, stable organics dominance, and a sharp downstream bottleneck. Total municipal solid waste increased by about 22% between 2019 and 2024, while organics remained about 58–60% of the waste stream. In 2023, 94.41% of waste still went to non-sanitary dumping, whereas composting and recovery together remained below 6%. District and generator evidence further shows that average-based planning masks operationally important differences in organics yield, recyclable quality, contamination risk, and service-design needs. The framework therefore prioritizes minimum disposal control first, organics capture at controllable nodes second, and differentiated scale-up with continuity, monitoring, and accountability third. The study contributes a practical bridge from waste diagnosis to transition design for disposal-constrained, organics-dominant cities.