ABSTRACT
In this
work, an analysis of the generation, composition and management of the urban
solid waste in Mexico and its relation to greenhouse gas emissions is
described; as well a case study in Morelos, a state in the central region of
the country. Data were collected from the scientific literature and existing data
bases at state and national levels. In addition, the emissions of greenhouse
gas were calculated for a period of 14 years, using the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methodology. The
municipal solid waste data collected from 1998 to 2012 reveal an increase in
the amount of waste generated in Mexico and in Morelos (38% and 43%,
respectively), which have been influenced by the urbanization process and the
population increase. According
to the official data, the composition of the urban solid waste in Mexico, is
mostly organic matter (50%), represented by food and garden residues, as well
as paper and cardboard (near to 14%). While in Morelos, the percentages of
generation for these materials are 44% and 9%, respectively. The management of
the urban waste mainly consists of house collection, principally in
metropolitan zones and medium and small cities, representing 78.7% in Mexico
and 89.2% in Morelos. The second way to eliminate the solid wastes is open
burning (mostly in semi-urban and rural areas), representing 14.5% and 6.7% for
Mexico and Morelos, respectively. During this period, the nationwide greenhouse
gas emissions derived from solid waste management (SWM) increased by 180%,
while in Morelos, an increase of 42.5% was calculated. Thus, the population
increment and urbanization process were correlated with the rise in the amount
of residues generated in Mexico and Morelos.