CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION
A. Definition of developmental status
The status of development of a country may be categorised in several ways. With respect to its
impact on solid waste management, in this publication status of development is categorised on
the basis of availability of economic resources and on degree of industrialisation. Status of
economic development is more a measure of the permanent economic framework than of the
existing condition of the economy (recession vs. prosperity). In this document, the emphasis is on
solid waste management in a setting that is primarily non-industrial. Such management is adapted
to the nature and quantities of waste generated and to the availability of technology for handling
and processing characteristic of non-industrial settings. Degree of industrialisation is measured in
terms of extent of mechanisation and availability of technological resources. Justifiably or not,
the terms “developed” and “industrialised” occasionally are used synonymously.
Because of localised changes in degree of development within each country, it is difficult to
apply a single developmental category as far as solid waste management is concerned. For
example, a large urban community (typically the capital city and surrounding area) in a
developing nation may be in a stage of development that is well above that of the rest of the
nation. On the other hand, these communities are not entirely immune to the limitations imposed
by the status of the nation.
In this document, the authors have made an effort to incorporate in each section a range of
coverage that encompasses the range of development that is typically found in economically
developing nations without resorting to repetitive descriptions of technologies that do not vary
substantially with scale of operation or degree of sophistication.
It is important to note that although the information presented in this document is applicable
primarily to developing countries, some of it may also be applicable to a nation in transition or
even to a developed or industrialised nation.
B. Characteristics of solid waste in developing countries
“Municipal solid waste” (MSW) is a term usually applied to a heterogeneous collection of wastes
produced in urban areas, the nature of which varies from region to region. The characteristics and
quantity of the solid waste generated in a region is not only a function of the living standard and
lifestyle of the region's inhabitants, but also of the abundance and type of the region's natural
resources. Urban wastes can be subdivided into two major components -- organic and inorganic.
In general, the organic components of urban solid waste can be classified into three broad
categories: putrescible, fermentable, and non-fermentable. Putrescible wastes tend to decompose
rapidly and unless carefully controlled, decompose with the production of objectionable odours
and visual unpleasantness. Fermentable wastes tend to decompose rapidly, but without the
unpleasant accompaniments of putrefaction. Non-fermentable wastes tend to resist decomposition
and, therefore, break down very slowly. A major source of putrescible waste is food preparation
and consumption. As such, its nature varies with lifestyle, standard of living, and seasonality of
foods. Fermentable wastes are typified by crop and market debris.
The primary difference between wastes generated in developing nations and those generated in
industrialised countries is the higher organic content characteristic of the former. The extent of
the difference is indicated by the data in Table I-1, in which is presented information relative to
the quantity and composition of municipal solid wastes generated in several countries.