Rapid urbanisation, industrialisation and growth of disposable income have led to higher rates of Municipal Solid Waste generation. The Urban Local Bodies are unable to meet the rapidly growing challenge. They have increasingly sought private participation to manage entire Solid Waste Management (SWM) systems; more frequently PPPs are used to scale up capacity. We examine select PPP projects in SWM to identify the determinants of success. The design and structuring of the project is key to the success of PPPs, with the flexibility for renegotiation at critical points. We also conclude that small scale decentralised projects are more appropriate, with the assimilation of the informal groups.