The concept of collaborative management is considered to be one of the most efficient instruments for sustainable development of some areas, which are under anthropic pressure due to the production of solid waste. The paper stands for the necessity of promoting a collaborative management among the main actors involved in an efficient and sustainable urban solid waste management, in the metropolitan area of Bucharest. The present management is mainly based on the strictly economic vision of managing solid waste. The study is based on data from the County Council Ilfov, the city Hall of Bucharest, the interviews and
questionnaires answered by population and to some institutional and economical actors involved in solid waste management, as well as from field researches. The gradual closure of 29 non-complying landfills increases the pressure upon the three large compliant landfills organized in the metropolitan area: Chiajna-Rudeni, Glina and Vidra. The limited vision of local and national decision factors regarding the externalization of the management of the solid waste disposals to a company, without their ample involvement, including the population’s education and the participation of NGOs, endanger the perspective of a sustainable development of a very disturbed area after the year 1990.