The increase of municipal solid waste poses a significant global environmental and public health challenge, particularly in sensitive regions such as the Ecuadorian Amazon, where infrastructure and management are limited. In order to inform evidence-based sustainable MSW policies, this study sought to characterize the MSW generated in La Joya de los Sachas city using an innovative, integrative approach that includes biogas energy modelling, community attitudes, and empirical trash characterization.. The study structured questionnaires (n = 384) to investigate domestic-level waste management behavior and environmental attitude. Subsequently, a physical characterization of MSW was conducted in 114 households and additional sources, including markets, businesses, and public cleaning services, resulting in a total of 1,372 samples. Our findings reveal that the city generates 14.54 tons of MSW daily (0.659 kg per inhabitant per day), with 67.46% consisting of organic waste and 15.52% recyclable materials. Despite 92.4% of households expressing a commitment to the environment, only 55.8% engage in source separation of MSW. Insufficient room and understanding are the primary obstacles to residual separation. But according to energy potential study, biogas could produce up to 956.58 MWh of electricity annually by 2035, underscoring its importance in future renewable energy plans. The high proportion of organic and recyclable waste without effective recovery highlights an urgent need to implement source separation strategies, environmental education, and energy utilization. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in the Ecuadorian Amazon to have connected MSW composition, community behavior, and renewable energy potential within a methodological framework.
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