Vol. 11, Special Issue 11, Part A (2025)

Abstract
Rapid urbanisation and population growth continue to place enormous pressure on municipal solid waste (MSW) management systems globally. Sustainable waste management requires a shift beyond mere disposal toward the principles of Reduce-Reuse-Recycle (3Rs) combined with viable Waste-to-Energy (WtE) solutions. This paper examines the theoretical framework of 3Rs, explores the role of waste-to-energy technologies, and presents a detailed municipal case study of Bengaluru, India, to illustrate both challenges and promising practices. The case reveals significant waste generation, weak segregation practices, landfill dependence, and emerging initiatives in decentralised processing and energy recovery. The findings highlight that successful sustainable waste management in an urban Indian context demands strong policy enforcement, citizen participation, infrastructure investment, technology deployment, and integration of 3Rs with WtE. The paper concludes with recommendations that policymakers, city-municipalities and stakeholders should prioritise source segregation, localised recycling ecosystems, community engagement, and scalable energy recovery pathways, in order to achieve a circular economy model and reduce environmental burdens.