Generation of Municipal Solid Waste in Commercial City of Bangladesh

The study was conducted during January to December 2009 to determine the generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) in Chittagong City Corporation of Bangladesh. A structured questionnaire was processed and waste collected from different waste generating sources were segregated and weighed. Residential waste generation rate varied in different socio economic groups and was found minimum (0.5 Kg/day) in Low Socio-economic Group and maximum (3.54 Kg/day) in High Socio-economic Group and an average residential unit generated 1.72 kg of waste per day. Commercial waste generation rate by a person was found 0.38 Kg/day. Waste generation rate by an average institution was recorded minimum (5.4 Kg/day) by the religious institution and maximum (17.05 Kg/day) by the government institute and an average institution generated 10.2 kg of waste per day. The average waste generation rate by a large-scale industry was found 435 kg/day and small-scale industry 77 kg/day and average industrial waste generation was 256 kg/day. The average medical waste generation was found 33 kg/day. Medical waste generation rate per patient was 0.595 kg/day. The most important principles underlying effective programs for the management of MSW include the awareness, assignment of legal responsibility, developing the rules and regulations and also need of a national waste management policy and national waste disposal and management guideline.