General Information
on Waste Characterization

The average person in the US generates about 4.5 pounds of municipal solid waste ("MSW") - commonly referred to as "trash" or "garbage" - each day. Commercial businesses also contribute to the amount of MSW generated each year. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the total annual generation of MSW reached over 236 million tons per year in 2003 (which is more than half a million tons higher than in 2002).

As the amount of waste generated in the US increases, the number of municipal solid waste landfills has steadily declined over the years. However, the average landfill size has increased and, nationally, landfill capacity appears to be sufficient. But, this may not be the case in regional areas.

Waste characterization data plays a critical role in planning and designing a solid waste system to handle a region's needs. Solid waste planners can use data generated from waste characterization studies in many ways including the following:

• To anticipate the amount of municipal solid waste disposed in their communities/regions
• To document anticipated tonnages
• To determine the quantity of material available for recovery
• To implement new recovery programs to divert waste from landfills
• To measure the effectiveness of existing recycling programs
• To right-size solid waste and recycling facilities

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