Household behavior on solid Waste managementa case of Al-Kut city

Abstract EN

-This paper investigates the household behavior of Al-Kut City residents towards solid waste management.

The paper is the outcome of a house to house survey of 560 households per week; the sampling program was based on Random Uniform Sampling for seven months period (January to July 2009), covering different parts of the city.

Samples were collected and analyzed periodically.

Solid waste generation and composition in Al-Kut City (like other countries) is typically affected by population growth, urbanization, and improved economic conditions.

The daily per capita waste generation in Al-Kut is 0.53 kg which is lower in the low- economic level zone in the city than in other zones.

Among the total waste generated in Al-Kut City, 70.38% is food waste, 4.19% plastic waste, 2.44% metal waste, 2.32% glass waste, 3.36% paper waste, 6.75% textile waste, while the remaining percentages represents miscellaneous combustible and non combustible materials.

Quantity and composition were measured in order to be used in a new MSW management plan