6
1 Wastes Generation, Characterization, Management Strategies …
Municipal solid waste (MSW): Commonly known as trash or garbage that is
discarded by the public consisting of product packaging, furniture, clothing, old
computers, food scraps, bottles and cans, newspapers and appliances. The composition of the MSW varies greatly with municipality and time, and can also be influenced
by factors such as culture, economic development, climate, and energy sources. On
average, MSW in the world is composed of mainly organic waste (46%), paper (17%),
plastic (10%), glass (5%), metal (4%), and other (18%) including textiles, leather,
rubber, multi-laminates, e-waste, appliances, ash, other inert materials, as illustrated
in Fig. 1.3. The sources of all types of MSW composition are presented in Table 1.1.
MSW is commonly disposed in landfills, burned in incinerators or diverted through
composting or recycling [2].
Natural resource residuals: Refer to a broad collection of byproducts, generated
as a result of extraction and production processes associated with natural resources
Organic,
46%
Paper , 17%
Plastics,
10%
Glass, 5%
Metal , 4%
Textiles ,
3%
Inerts , 13%
Miscellaneous, 2%
Fig. 1.3 Global MSW composition in 2013 [15]
Table 1.1 Types of MSW and their sources. Reprinted with permission from [5]
Type
Sources
Organic Food scraps, yard (leaves, grass, brush) waste, wood, process residues
Paper
Paper scraps, cardboard, newspapers, magazines, bags, boxes, wrapping paper,
telephone books, shredded paper, paper beverage cups. Although paper is mostly
organic but unless it is contaminated by food residue, paper is not classified as organic
Plastic Bottles, packaging, containers, bags, lids, cups
Glass
Bottles, broken glassware, light bulbs, colored glass
Metal
Cans, foil, tins, non-hazardous aerosol cans, appliances (white goods), railings,
bicycles
Other
Textiles, leather, rubber, multi-laminates, e-waste, appliances, ash, other inert materials
1 Wastes Generation, Characterization, Management Strategies …
Municipal solid waste (MSW): Commonly known as trash or garbage that is
discarded by the public consisting of product packaging, furniture, clothing, old
computers, food scraps, bottles and cans, newspapers and appliances. The composition of the MSW varies greatly with municipality and time, and can also be influenced
by factors such as culture, economic development, climate, and energy sources. On
average, MSW in the world is composed of mainly organic waste (46%), paper (17%),
plastic (10%), glass (5%), metal (4%), and other (18%) including textiles, leather,
rubber, multi-laminates, e-waste, appliances, ash, other inert materials, as illustrated
in Fig. 1.3. The sources of all types of MSW composition are presented in Table 1.1.
MSW is commonly disposed in landfills, burned in incinerators or diverted through
composting or recycling [2].
Natural resource residuals: Refer to a broad collection of byproducts, generated
as a result of extraction and production processes associated with natural resources
Organic,
46%
Paper , 17%
Plastics,
10%
Glass, 5%
Metal , 4%
Textiles ,
3%
Inerts , 13%
Miscellaneous, 2%
Fig. 1.3 Global MSW composition in 2013 [15]
Table 1.1 Types of MSW and their sources. Reprinted with permission from [5]
Type
Sources
Organic Food scraps, yard (leaves, grass, brush) waste, wood, process residues
Paper
Paper scraps, cardboard, newspapers, magazines, bags, boxes, wrapping paper,
telephone books, shredded paper, paper beverage cups. Although paper is mostly
organic but unless it is contaminated by food residue, paper is not classified as organic
Plastic Bottles, packaging, containers, bags, lids, cups
Glass
Bottles, broken glassware, light bulbs, colored glass
Metal
Cans, foil, tins, non-hazardous aerosol cans, appliances (white goods), railings,
bicycles
Other
Textiles, leather, rubber, multi-laminates, e-waste, appliances, ash, other inert materials