title: A review of residential solid waste management in the occupied Palestinian Territory: a window for improvement?
abstract: Solid waste is considered an urgent environmental health issue in the Palestinian Territory. The aim of this paper was to analyse the current status of residential solid waste (RSW) management in the Palestinian Territory, with the objective of identifying windows for improvement. The study is based on a national household sample survey in the Palestinian Territory, which was conducted by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS). The results of this study revealed various interesting trends. For example, while about 90% of households in the Palestinian Territory receive solid waste collection service, about 50% of the households receive this service three times per week or less, leaving a chance for waste pile-up and litter generation. Organic waste (including food waste) was found to account for more than 90% of RSW, providing an opportunity for waste utilization through composting or biogas generation. Additional efforts are required, and some were suggested in this paper, in order to improve the current situation of Palestinian residential solid waste management.
authors: Institute of Environmental and Water Studies, Birzeit University, Birzeit, Palestinian Territory. ikhatib@birzeit.edu
authors: Issam A
authors: IA
authors: Al-Khatib
authors: Hassan A
authors: HA
authors: Arafat
mesh_terms: D006798:Housing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008877:Middle East; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018505:Waste Management / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014866:Waste Products / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D014866:Waste Products