An in depth study of the effects of socio-economic conditions on household waste recycling practices

Abstract

Waste is never consistent. Different areas use different materials, which give rise to waste streams that can vary widely in composition. With the increasing pressure on landfill operators and local governments over the amount and type of waste going to landfill, moves have to be taken to reduce, divert and recover materials. To undertake this function it is necessary to identify the composition of the waste stream. This paper contains the results of a household waste analysis conducted in a typical unitary authority of South Wales, a traditional industrial community. The waste analysis was conducted to determine whether there was a connection between an area’s socio-economic standing and the quantities of waste produced. A selection of three different household categories were chosen, as described by the UK’s ACORN geodemographical system. The three areas chosen were terracedd, council and semi-detached properties and were selected as they were the most dominant and easily recognised types of dwellings found in the study area. The results of the full waste analysis have been compared against a number of previous household waste characterisation studies.