Composition of Domestic Solid Waste and the Determination of its Density & Moisture Content: a Case Study for Tikrit City, Iraq

Abstract

This research has been done to know the physical composition of domestic solid waste and to determine the percentages of domestic solid waste components in Tikrit City. Food wastes comprises the highest percentage among other components (about 55.331 % from the total weight of the domestic solid waste). The research also examined the seasonal variations of domestic solid waste components percentages which be considered to be critical when a composting plant or a recycling facility is to be planned to use within the solid waste management system. The main seasonal variation is in food wastes that were typically larger at summer. Packaging wastes like paper and cardboard tended to increase at the winter. The density and moisture content of domestic solid waste were (229.088 kg/m3 and 27.419 %), respectively.