municipal solid waste

municipal solid waste

Characteristics of municipal solid waste Solid wastes are grouped or classified in several different ways. These different classifications are necessary to address the complex challenges of solid waste management in an effective manner. The term municipal solid waste (MSW) is generally used to describe most of the non-hazardous solid waste from a city, town or village that requires routine collection and transport to a processing or disposal site. Sources of MSW include private homes, commercial establishments and institutions as well as industrial facilities. However MSW does not include wastes from industrial processes, construction and demolition debris, sewage sludge, mining wastes or agricultural wastes. Municipal solid waste contains a wide variety of materials. It can contain food waste such as vegetable and meat material, left over food, egg shells, etc which is classified as wet garbage as well as paper, plastic, tetrapacks, plastic cans, newspaper, glass bottles, cardboard boxes, aluChapter5.p65 145 4/9/2004, 5:09 PM 146 Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses minum foil, metal items, wood pieces, etc. which is classified as dry garbage.