Models for estimating solid waste production in hospitality establishments in João Pessoa, Brazil

Abstract

Municipalities are responsible for solid waste management in urban areas, from collection to final treatment, in case the waste produced by economic agents is not dangerous. In the scope of economic activities, tourism has been growing strongly, especially in Brazilian coastal urban areas. In this sense, a larger production of urban solid waste is one of the main effects of the development of the hospitality sector. This study aims to design models to estimate the production of solid waste in hospitality establishments. This research object refers to a sample of 7 hotels in the city of João Pessoa, Brazil. Solid waste generated by the hotel sector in the city of João Pessoa was estimated by developing linear regression models. The models showed that 71% of the waste refers to the number of guests, number of employees, and services offered in the hotel. Results indicate an estimated solid waste generated by hotel establishments in the city of João Pessoa of 4,148 kg.day-¹, out of which 59.2% are organic waste, 21.8% are recyclable, and 18.9% are non-recyclable.