Survey of Qualitative and Quantitative Characteristics of Municipal Solid Wastes in North of Iran (Babolsar city) in 2012

Increase in pollution and growth of technology result in high material production and increase in the amount of solid wastes. This research aimed at investigating the quality and quantity of municipal solid wastes in Babolsar city. This study was a descriptive and cross-sectional that investigated quality and quantity of household and hospital solid wastes. Generation rate was determined and physical analysis was performed for solid waste samples collected from many places during 3 consecutive days of one week. Mean generation rate of household solid wastes was 73608 ± 7483 kg per day and generation rate per person in one day was 1.2 kg. Average of total solid wastes, including general and infectious solid wastes, and sharps were 1.2 and 1.1 and 0.03 kg for each hospital bed in one day, respectively. The weight percentages of food waste, plastic, paper, glass, metals, textiles and other materials of household and hospital solid wastes were 69.3% and 45.3%, 7.8% and 11.6%, 9.4% and 13.6%, 3.3% and 6.9%, 3.5% and 6.2%, 3% and 6.7% and 3.7% and 8.3%, respectively. Means of weight percentage of plastic, textiles, paper, glass, metals and sharp objects in the infectious solid wastes were 37 %, 22 %, 16.5%, 4.48%, 12%, 7.5% and 5.1% respectively. Considering the weight percentage of food wastes (70%), solid wastes of Babolsar city could be used for composting. Also as large quantities of infectious wastes were produced by hospitals of Babolsar, it is recommended that sterilization systems (Hydroclave) be used for decontamination of these hazardous wastes.