Work out solid waste generation rate instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
Municipal waste generation is population times per capita rate, with commercial and institutional waste added as a share. Rates range from 0.3-0.6 kg per person per day in low and middle income cities to 1.5-2.5 in high income ones. Volume follows from as-discarded bulk density, typically 200-300 kg/m3.
Waste generation
Domestic (t/day) = population x per capita rate / 1000; total = domestic x (1 + commercial share)
Volume
Volume (m3) = tonnes x 1000 / bulk density
Because collection vehicles, bins and transfer stations are volume limited before they are weight limited on light waste. Compaction ratio then determines how much mass a vehicle can actually carry.
By weighing all waste received at disposal and transfer points over a representative period and dividing by served population. Waste characterisation studies add composition data.