A global estimate for the generation of solid waste is projected to be ~1.3 billion tonnes/year. This volume is supposed to further increase up to 2.2 billion tonnes/year by the mid of 2030. In this context, the effective treatment and disposal of solid waste around the globe is becoming of utmost importance. Moreover, sustainable management of solid waste is not only necessary to solve the disposal issues but also beneficial in terms of energy production. Developed countries have already adopted technologies for utilization of their solid waste in energy production, heat generation, conversion to biofuel, compost preparation and as the metal reservoir. In contrast, developing countries are still struggling to manage their solid waste as an alternative resource. Amongst all other ways of solid waste management, the waste-to-energy (WtoE) technology is better suitable for developing countries in terms of building up their energy resources. In this chapter, the status of solid waste in the developing nations along with their WtoE options is being discussed. Moreover, the cost estimation has marked as significant tool to identify suitable WtoE option for developing countries. © 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
