The aim of this research is to examine the efficiency of the waste collection service in 75 municipalities in the autonomous region of Catalonia. The study is limited to technical and productive aspects, and leaves economic analysis to one side. The starting point of this research is a review of the meanings of efficiency, the techniques that measure it and the latest work dealing with the collection service in a number of countries. In the end, the authors reach the conclusion that there is no significant link between public and private management in terms of the rates of efficiency obtained.