Survey and evaluation of household solid waste generation and compositions in Kuwait

The objective of this study was to carry out a field survey of the solid waste generation profile in Kuwait. In addition, the paper examines the compatibility between household-estimated and landfill site-measured percent compositions of the daily solid waste. The true composition of daily household waste was determined via measurements of random waste trucks at the landfill sites. Hand sorting was used for classifying the collected wastes into the following categories: plastics, paper, metals, cans, leather wood?textiles?rubbers, putrescible wastes, inert materials and miscellaneous. Three main waste categories were obtained: putrescible wastes, paper and plastics, which combined represent 81% of the total waste in Kuwait. Furthermore, a high fraction of plastic and glass and a seasonal variation of cans/metals indicate a strong correlation of waste composition with certain human activities, such as hot weather. The frequency distribution of the family size, monthly income, type of residence and number of employed servants of the sample population are presented. Findings point to a decrease in the quantity of the daily generated solid waste (1.14 kg per person per day) by households over the last four years. The results of this survey can be taken as a baseline in order to establish an integrated waste treatment site, capable of fulfilling the regional waste management demands.