title: Studying municipal solid waste generation and composition in the urban areas of Bhutan.
abstract: Bhutan lacks the solid waste data which are essential parameters for planning and scheduling of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) systems. The first ever large-scale research survey on solid waste generation and characterization in the urban areas of Bhutan was conducted between November 2007 and January 2008 using the method of waste sampling at source. The MSW generation rates in the urban centres were 0.53 kg capita(-1) day(- 1), which consists predominantly of organic waste materials of up to 58% indicating a great opportunity for composting. Domestic waste from the households contributed the maximum (47%) component of the total MSW generated from the urban centres followed by wastes from the commercial establishments. Attempt to study the correlation between household monthly income and the waste per capita generation rates did not yield any conclusive result.
authors.affiliation: The Department of Urban Development & Engineering Services, Ministry of Works & Human Settlements, Thimphu, Bhutan.
authors.forename: Sherub
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Phuntsho
authors.forename: Ichharam
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dulal
authors.forename: Dechen
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yangden
authors.forename: Ugyen M
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: Tenzin
authors.forename: Sunil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Herat
authors.forename: Hokyong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shon
authors.forename: Saravanamuthu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vigneswaran
mesh_terms: D001631:Bhutan; D002947:Cities; D003710:Demography; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018505:Waste Management; D014866:Waste Products / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D014866:Waste Products