ISSN: 2222-6990
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Southeast Asian cities are generating rapidly increasing volumes of municipal solid waste (MSW). Yet the green innovations that could divert waste from landfills have diffused slowly, and evidence on why they are adopted remains fragmented. This study conducts a structured integrative review of empirical research on the adoption of green innovation in MSW management in Southeast Asia. Twenty-six structured queries across a web search engine, scholarly platforms, and institutional repositories returned 242 records; 30 were assessed in detail, and 16 empirical journal articles published between 2015 and 2026 met the eligibility criteria. The studies were appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool and synthesized using the Technology–Organisation–Environment (TOE) framework, informed by diffusion of innovations and circular economy theory. Seven groups of green innovation were identified: source separation and household recycling; community waste banks; composting and biodigesters; smart and digital systems; municipal systems and materials recovery facilities; waste-to-energy; and producer responsibility. Environmental context factors were the most frequently reported, appearing in 14 of the 16 studies: regulation, enforcement, incentives, information, and social norms acted as drivers when strong and as barriers when weak. Organizational factors, notably financial support, partnerships, and local leadership, determined whether schemes could be sustained, while technological factors, chiefly infrastructure and cost, shaped implementation. Social and economic benefits were reported, but no study measured landfill diversion or emission reductions over time, and most studies lacked an explicit theory. The review proposes a sequential TOE-based framework, expressed as four propositions, that links institutional conditions, organizational capacity, and infrastructure to sustained adoption. It sets out a research agenda for green innovation adoption in emerging economies.
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