A review of municipal solid waste composition and quantities in Poland

A review of results of the research involving the quantitative and composition analyses of household waste conducted in Poland in recent years is presented in this paper. For these analyses various methodologies have been employed, as there is not one obligatory methodology how to characterise municipal solid waste. The results of the research in large Polish cities indicate great variability, which is difficult to be reasonably explained. This situation is affected by a number of factors, such as various methods and places for sample collection, various methods for tests, fractional character of most of the studies (studies carried out only in some periods during a year). Consequently, it is neither possible to measurably compare their results, nor to generalise them. Hence, within this article only individual data for large cities is provided. It is therefore necessary to standardise methodology for such analyses in Europe, taking into account local variability (such as different housing patterns, climate and waste collection schemes) to allow comparison of results. Reported yearly household waste generation in Polish cities varies from 238 to 309 kg per inhabitant. Biodegradable waste is a strongly dominated fraction in household waste from Polish cities, followed by paper/cardboard and plastics. Historical data shows that waste composition has undergone profound changes, the most significant being an increase of the share of plastics and decrease of fine fraction. The presented data indicates that waste composition strongly depends on the type of housing and its heating system. In the new multi-family buildings with central heating the share of paper and plastics is higher than in old houses with individual heating. In the latter ones the share of fine fraction is higher.