Determinants of Per Capita Municipal Solid Waste Generation in the Southeastern United States

The aim of this study is to identify and measure the variables which influence per capita municipal solid waste generation in the south-eastern U.S., using the 100 counties of North Carolina as a data set and regression models for statistical analysis. Variables are selected to capture the residential, institutional and commercial components of the municipal solid waste stream, as well as the overall structure of waste management through inclusion of waste disposal fees. An additional goal of this study is to examine the influence of the components of retail sales, including sales of restaurants, merchandise, food stores and clothing stores, on per capita municipal solid waste generation, as it has been suggested that retail industries contribute significantly to waste generation. The results indicate the retail sales and the waste disposal fee are significant determinants of waste generation, while variables to account for manufacturing, construction, personal income, and degree of urbanization did not prove to be significant. Of the components of retail sales, per capita sales of eating establishments proved to have the greatest influence on waste generation. Policy implications are that an increasing effort should be made to focus on eating establishments and to establish appropriate tipping fees if a goal of waste reduction is to be achieved.