Estimation of municipal solid waste generation and future trends in Greater Metropolitan Regions of Kolkata, India
The purpose of this study is to outline the major trends and challenges that will shape the future of waste management for the next few decades in major metropolitan cities like Kolkata. There are certain trends and facts that more or less create the ‘bigger picture’ in which the waste management industry will evolve. It is clear that new challenges are emerging, and the current situation must be seen in a different way because the disposal site is limited and also it has to be made cost effective. Amounts of waste generation are largely determined by two factors: first, the rate of population increasing in Kolkata metropolitan area and second, its per capita waste generation - which are controlled by the evolution of economic growth, life style and food habits. The present study explains the correlation analysis of among different factors of municipal solid waste and the objective is to assess the future municipal solid waste stream in Kolkata metropolitan area. The results show that for a decoupling to take place between economic growth and waste generation, the waste generation by firms and households in relation to their economic activities must decrease in the future.