Generation refers to the amount of material that enters
the waste stream before recovery, composting, or combustion.
Recovery refers to materials removed from the waste
stream for the purpose of recycling and/or composting.
Table 2 shows the generation and recovery of MSW in the
US in 1993. The energy content of MSW in the US is
typically from 10.5 to 11.5 MJ/kg. The generation and
recovery of MSW varies dramatically from country to
country and deserves special mention. For example, recent
estimates indicate MSW generation in the UK of about 30
million tons of which 90% is landfilled. In comparison,
Sweden landfilled only 34% of their MSW generation [14].