Municipal waste is waste generated mainly by households, but also by businesses, institutions and other activities whose waste is similar in nature to household waste. It is regulated by national and European waste management legislation.
✅ Classification of municipal waste:
- Household (residual) waste:
- Food scraps
- Soiled packaging
- Personal hygiene products (wipes, nappies, etc.)
- Recyclable waste:
- Paper and cardboard
- Plastic
- Metal
- Glass
- Biodegradable waste:
- Vegetable scraps from the kitchen
- Garden waste
- Bulky waste:
- Old furniture
- Mattresses
- Hazardous household waste:
- Paints, solvents
- Batteries, fluorescent bulbs
- Expired medicines
- Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE):
- Fridges, televisions, old phones, etc.
♻️ Managing municipal waste:
The management process involves several stages:
- Collection – usually separated into fractions: recyclable, biodegradable, residual.
- Transport – to sorting, recycling or landfill facilities.
- Sorting – separation by category.
- Recycling / Composting – for materials that can be recovered.
- Disposal – usually by incineration or landfilling.
📊 Key statistics (Romania):
(The figures may vary, but here is the general picture)
- Total municipal waste generated: approx. 280–300 kg per person per year.
- Recycling rate: below 15% (the EU average is over 45%).
- EU target for 2035: no more than 10% of municipal waste sent to landfill.
⚠️ Current problems in municipal waste management in Romania:
- Low rate of separate collection.
- Lack of modern sorting and composting infrastructure.
- Limited public awareness.
- High costs of complying with EU standards.