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The present study has highlighted the effects of seasonal variation and socio-economic status on generation and composition of municipal solid waste (MSW) in Shalimar Town (ST). The total amount of MSW generated in ST is estimated to be 927 tons per day per year. The average per capita rate of MSW collected in ST is 0.69 kg per day in all four seasons. No significant difference was found in overall waste generation; however, statistical analyses show the significant difference for food waste, paper and plastic (p < 0.01) among socio-economic groups and seasons. The results show that the lowest income group produces 0.39 kg per capita per day during winter months which is the minimum of MSW generated as compared to high (1.1 kg per capita per day) and middle (0.56 kg per capita per day) income groups in the same season. It is also concluded that the low-income group produces the minimum of waste in each of the four seasons. In terms of breakdown of the MSW, organic waste is in the highest percentage (81%) followed by paper (5%), plastic (6%), glass (2%) and others (5%). Food waste is 84% of the entire generated MSW as well as having very low heating value of 5,642 J per g. Elemental and proximate analyses of mixed food waste had carbon 48.72%, nitrogen 2.41%, hydrogen 6.37%, sulphur 0.29 and oxygen 40.15% respectively.
Ali et al. (Thu,) studied this question.