7.3 Composition of residential solid waste
The composition of solid waste means the different types of waste material that it consists of and their characteristics. As an urban WASH worker you may need to understand the factors that affect the composition of solid waste in your area. These factors include the season of the year, the habits or culture of the community, people’s educational or economic status and the geographical location.
Why do you think that the composition of waste produced by households might change at different times of year?
Some possible answers are:
- Different foods are available at different times of year, so the amount of waste from preparing food (vegetable trimmings and so on) and its composition will change.
- Wastes tend to be wetter during rainy seasons.
- There may be more food waste produced during festival times and less produced when people are fasting.
Returning to the Bahir Dar survey mentioned earlier, Table 7.1 shows the major components of municipal solid wastes generated in Bahir Dar according to the 2010 study.
Solid waste component | Percentage by mass |
Food wastes | 43.5 |
Paper | 9.4 |
Plastics | 3.3 |
Textile | 1.3 |
Rubber | 0.7 |
Leather | 0.2 |
Garden waste | 11.9 |
Wood and charcoal | 1.7 |
Glass | 1.1 |
Metals | 1.3 |
Ash and soil | 20.2 |
Others | 5.6 |
Total | 100 |
Figure 7.3 shows a bin containing solid waste from a kitchen. Using the types of wastes included in Table 7.1, list the types that you can identify in the bin in Figure 7.3.
The waste in the bin includes paper, a plastic bag (which may contain other materials), a plastic food pot, metal foil (the yogurt pot lid) and food waste.

The composition of solid waste affects the length of time that it can be safely stored before disposal. If kept uncovered for too long, some waste will become a health hazard or cause some other nuisance. The recommended time for storage is shown in Table 7.2 for typical Ethiopian conditions where the waste is stored at normal temperatures in a container that is not sealed.
Waste type | Length of storage in days | Effects if stored for longer |
Food wastes | 4 | Fly breeding |
Residential waste | 7 | Flies, land pollution |
Street sweepings | 7 | Unsightliness |
Dead animals | 1 | Flies, animal diseases |
Ashes | 14 | Air pollution from dust, unsightliness |
7.2 Classification of solid wastes