Wasteful disposition: Analysis of municipal household waste using geodemographic classification

Abstract

The continuous flow of resources through the economy is the origin of most of the environmental problems evident today. These problems are directly related to production and introduction of wastes and pollutants into the natural environment. The study investigated the relationship between household waste and geodemographic grouping (GDG) at the municipal level across England. A correlation analysis of the GDG and waste data revealed a positive relationship between waste and proportion of different GDG. A robust regression model generated represents 74% of the variation across the dataset, and it shows that there is a significant relationship between municipal waste and GDG. A higher number of GDG (e.g. 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8) displayed a very strong association with increasing total municipal household waste (TMHW). GDG such as 1, 2 and 10, despite their higher disposable incomes, displayed a weak association with TMHW. Furthermore, GDGs such as 8, 3, 7, 4 and 6 generated more household waste in comparison to GDG. This model provides an understanding that can influence the organisation of waste management programmes and forecasting of municipal waste. It also provides essential input for decisions in structuring promotion of sustainable behaviour and implementing local initiatives to support such activities.