###### Abstract  
An innovative decision matrix has been developed to guide the selection and implementation of Pneumatic Urban Solid Waste Collection Systems (PUSWCS) in smart city projects. This study comprehensively collects and analyzes data on the advantages and disadvantages of pneumatic collection systems from technical, economic, and social perspectives. A decision-making tool was created to address the complexities of evaluating the desirability of incorporating PUSWCS in municipalities or specific areas, using a holistic approach. The tool assesses the technical, economic, and social feasibility of implementing PUSWCS, aligning it with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Specific variables are measured to assess compliance with the SDGs, distinguishing technical aspects from economic and social aspects. The methodology includes surveys of system users and technicians, expert assessments, and the development of a decision matrix that cross-references study variables and SDGs. The matrix assigns numerical values to the Magnitude (M) and Impact (I) of each variable, enabling quantitative interpretation. This holistic approach accommodates the complexities of waste management and diverse stakeholder perspectives. The results demonstrate the matrix's effectiveness in accurately assessing the desirability of implementing PUSWCS. This confirms the matrix's ability to optimally integrate with innovative smart city concepts and align with long-term sustainability goals. The study concludes that the design of the decision matrix allows the collection of information from experts, users, and stakeholders about economic, social, and environmental variables and relates them to the SDGs, to obtain a numerical result that allows to decide whether in a given urban environment it is advisable to implement a PUSWCS. pneumatic urban solid waste collection systems; PUSWCS; waste management; smart city projects; decision matrix; sustainable development goals +
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atmosphere of the city (methane, ammonia, sulfur compounds, etc.). This problem can be eliminated by pneumatic transportation, which collects and moves waste using an airflow in an underground pipeline [12]. Pneumatic Urban Solid Waste Collection Systems (PUSWCS) [13] have emerged as an alternative method that can outperform conventional collection systems due to lower space requirements, higher efficiency in handling, and other benefits [14]. This method integrates seamlessly with smart city concepts. Pneumatic collection is presented as an alternative to conventional trucking systems, reducing noise and odor effects, minimizing greenhouse effect gas emissions, presenting potential space savings, increasing pedestrian areas, and decreasing resource consumption [10]. According to hygiene and health criteria, pneumatic waste collection is positioned as a technological alternative to waste collection. However, the decision to implement such systems [3; 10] is complex, requiring a comprehensive evaluation of technical, financial, and social factors [12]. In this way, the energy assessment of door-to-door and pneumatic collection, focusing on the biodegradable fraction collection and its subsequent recycling by anaerobic digestion indicated that, when the organic fraction is collected separately, the pneumatic collection could be a suitable alternative because the energy requirements are balanced with the savings from the anaerobic digestion process [10]. Some studies indicate that the door-to-door collection system is economically almost six times more superior. The dominant cost factor is the large investment cost of the pneumatic system [15]. Other studies indicate that, analyzing the environmental effects of a mobile pneumatic system, mobile pneumatic systems are inferior in terms of environmental effects when compared to a multi-container or a door-to-door waste collection system [16; 17; 18].