Integrating PAYT and Emerging Technologies for Smart Waste Management: Towards a Circular Economy Framework

Municipal waste management is one of the most pressing challenges today, with the UN report (2024) estimating that global waste volumes will increase to 3.8 billion tons by 2050. This scenario highlights the need to implement the circular economy and ef-fective waste reduction tools. At the European level, Directive 2008/98/EC establishes the waste hierarchy, where prevention is central, and the Pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) system, based on the "polluter pays" principle, proves to be a fiscal mechanism capable of stimulating recycling and reducing the volume of mixed waste. The paper proposes the development of an integrated framework for smart waste management, including emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, and Web 3.0. The first part of the research establishes the hypotheses and objectives: cost reduc-tion, increased efficiency, and process traceability. The second part analyses the use-fulness of digital technologies and the role of smart containers in collection, as well as the structure of processing and management costs, highlighting the framework's direct contribution to achieving SDG 11 and SDG 13. The third part describes a closed system with digital key-based access that monitors the number of disposals and assigns re-sponsibility for the waste deposited. By combining PAYT with advanced technological solutions, the research demonstrates the practical applicability and legal basis of an innovative model designed to support sustainability and strengthen European circular economy policies.