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CHAPTER 1

MSW Generation, Characterisation and Planning

Generation, Composition & Master Plan

Quantification + characterisation of municipal solid waste — per-capita generation rates by city size + economic activity, waste composition (biodegradable, recyclable, inert, hazardous), seasonal + commercial variation, projection methods, integration with SBM 2.0 city sanitation plan + ULB master plan. Foundation for sizing the entire SWM system downstream.

📋 Generation & Master PlanManual on Municipal Solid Waste ManagementRevised Edition (2016) with SBM 2.0 (2021) + Plastic Waste / E-waste Rules updates

Key formulas

  • Total MSW (TPD) = Population × per-capita rate (kg/cap/day) / 1000
  • Future MSW = current × (1 + growth_rate)^n × imperviousness_factor (typical 1.02-1.04 per yr)
  • Bulk density at source = 200-400 kg/m³ (loose); at landfill = 600-900 kg/m³ (compacted)
  • Calorific value (LCV) MJ/kg = 4.18 × (HHV − 583 × moisture/100) ÷ 1000 (Indian rule of thumb)
  • Biodegradable fraction by weight ≈ 0.50 to 0.60 in Indian cities (declining slightly)

Key values & thresholds

msw generation metro kg per cap day
0.45 - 0.65
msw generation class 1 city kg per cap day
0.35 - 0.50
msw generation small town kg per cap day
0.20 - 0.35
msw generation rural kg per cap day
0.10 - 0.20
msw generation commercial market kg per m2 day
0.10 - 0.30
composition biodegradable pct
50 - 60 (organic, food, garden)
composition recyclables pct
15 - 20 (paper, plastic, glass, metal)
composition inerts pct
20 - 25 (silt, ash, ceramic, C&D residue)
composition hazardous household pct
1 - 2 (batteries, e-waste, chemicals)
moisture content pct typical
40 - 55 (high in monsoon)
calorific value LCV MJ per kg
4 - 8 (raw); 12 - 18 (RDF)
design horizon landfill years
20 - 25
design horizon processing facility years
15 - 20
growth rate projection typical pct
2 - 4 per year
characterisation sampling min days
7 days × 4 seasons (28 day total)

Clause-level requirements

  • MSW master plan shall be prepared for 20-25 year horizon for landfill + 15-20 year horizon for processing facilities, integrated with SBM 2.0 city sanitation plan.
  • Per-capita generation shall be measured by 7-day continuous weighing in 4 seasons (28 days total) — not by single-day estimate.
  • Composition shall be characterised by sub-fraction (food, paper, plastic, glass, metal, inert, hazardous) per CPHEEO 2016 + CPCB methodology.
  • Future generation shall account for population growth + per-capita increase (urbanisation + lifestyle) + commercial growth, typically 2-4 % CAGR.
  • Bulk generators (hotels, hospitals, large commercial, residential complex > 100 units) shall be characterised separately + assigned dedicated collection.
  • Master plan shall identify processing technology mix + landfill site + SBM 2.0 funding alignment.

Practitioner notes — what goes wrong in the field

  • Indian metros (Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad) generate 8000-12000 TPD each — among the highest absolute volumes globally even at moderate per-capita rates.
  • Per-capita generation has been creeping up 2-4 % per year as urbanisation + lifestyle change + packaging proliferate.
  • Composition shifts: organic share declining 60% → 50% as packaging grows; plastic share rising 8% → 14% (post-2010); paper varies with retail/e-commerce intensity.
  • Single-day characterisation is the most-common methodological mistake. Indian waste streams have huge weekly + seasonal variation — use 7×4 protocol.
  • Festival peaks: Diwali (week-after = 25-40% spike from packaging + decor), Ganesh festival (Mumbai/Pune coastal cities = mass dumping), Eid + Christmas (similar packaging spikes).
  • Bulk generators (hotels, hospitals, malls, gated colonies > 100 units) per SBM 2.0 are mandated to manage their own waste — characterise them separately.
  • Compost potential = biodegradable fraction × (1 − moisture_loss). Indian average ~30-35% of input wet weight.
  • RDF potential = paper + plastic + textile fraction. Limited in Indian waste due to high inert + organic fractions.
  • Landfill volume requirement: 4-7 m³/tonne over 25-yr lifecycle (after compaction + cover + settlement + utility allowance).
  • Master plan must be city-wide, multi-year, multi-technology — not landfill-only thinking. SBM 2.0 emphasizes processing + diversion.

FAQs

How much MSW does an Indian city generate per person per day?
Metros: 0.45-0.65 kg/cap/day; Class-1 cities (1L+ pop): 0.35-0.50; small towns: 0.20-0.35; rural: 0.10-0.20. Commercial markets: 0.10-0.30 kg/m²/day. Increasing 2-4% per year due to urbanisation + lifestyle.
What's the typical composition of Indian MSW?
Biodegradable (food, garden) 50-60% by weight; recyclables (paper, plastic, glass, metal) 15-20%; inerts (silt, ash, C&D) 20-25%; household hazardous 1-2%. Moisture 40-55%, higher in monsoon. Composition is shifting — organic share declining, plastic share rising.
How do I correctly characterise my city's MSW?
7-day continuous weighing × 4 seasons = 28 days total per CPHEEO + CPCB methodology. Single-day estimates are unreliable due to weekly + seasonal variation. Sub-fraction by food, paper, plastic, glass, metal, inert, hazardous. Characterise bulk generators (hotels, hospitals, malls, large complexes) separately.
What design horizon should I use?
Landfill: 20-25 years (MSW Rules 2016 minimum). Processing facilities: 15-20 years. Master plan: 20-25 years. Project for population growth + per-capita increase + commercial growth — typically 2-4% CAGR for total MSW volume.
What's the calorific value of Indian MSW?
Raw MSW LCV typically 4-8 MJ/kg (low due to high moisture + inerts). Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) after pre-processing: 12-18 MJ/kg. By comparison, coal is 18-25 MJ/kg, wood ~16 MJ/kg. Calorific value is the key parameter for waste-to-energy + cement co-processing decisions.

Calculator

MSW Generation Projection (Current → Design Year)

↓ Download Excel

Project current MSW generation to the design year accounting for population growth + per-capita increase (urbanisation + lifestyle effect). Add festival peak factor for sizing peak-day collection + processing. Use 7×4 day characterisation for current per-capita rate (chapter 1).

Inputs
Current populationpersons
Current per-capita ratekg/cap/day
Metro 0.45–0.65; Class-1 0.35–0.50; small 0.20–0.35
Population growth rate%/yr
Per-capita rate growth%/yr
1–2 % typical (urbanisation + lifestyle)
Design horizonyears
Festival peak factor—
1.25–1.40 for Diwali / Ganesh week-after spike
Outputs
Current MSW
200TPD
P × rate / 1000
Design-year population
7,42,974persons
P × (1 + pop_gr/100)^years
Design-year per-capita rate
0.54kg/cap/day
rate × (1 + rate_gr/100)^years
Design-year MSW (average day)
400TPD
P_design × rate_design / 1000
Design-year peak day
560TPD
TPD_design × peak_factor
Total volume growth over horizon
100%
CPHEEO Reference Values
Metro per-cap0.45 – 0.65 kg/cap/day
Class-1 city per-cap0.35 – 0.50 kg/cap/day
Small town per-cap0.20 – 0.35 kg/cap/day
Rural per-cap0.10 – 0.20 kg/cap/day
Per-cap growth (typical)1 – 2 %/yr
Festival peak (Diwali)1.25 – 1.40×
Download the Excel version to keep a local copy with live formulas — change inputs in the sheet and outputs recompute automatically.

Cross-references

MSW Management Rules 2016 (MoEFCC)SBM 2.0 Operational Guidelines (MoHUA 2021)CPCB SWM ManualMoHUA Star Rating Protocol for Garbage Free CitiesIS 9569:1980 (sampling methodology — partial)ULB City Sanitation Plan template

Tags

MSW generationwaste compositionper capita wastecharacterisationSBM 2.0city sanitation planbulk densitycalorific valuedesign horizon

Engineer's notes

MSW characterisation is the spatial + quantitative foundation for every solid waste system. Get the generation + composition wrong, and every downstream decision — collection vehicle count, processing capacity, landfill volume, technology mix — is wrong.

Per-capita generation in India ranges roughly 0.10 kg/cap/day (rural) to 0.65 kg/cap/day (metro). It's been creeping up 2-4 % per year as urbanisation, packaging, and lifestyle changes proliferate. A city of 10 lakh population at 0.40 kg/cap/day generates 400 TPD — and probably 480 TPD by 2031 just from base growth.

Composition matters as much as volume. A waste stream with 60 % organic + high moisture wants composting + biomethanation; one with 30 % organic + 25 % plastic + low moisture wants RDF + WTE. Indian cities still average 50-60 % biodegradable with 40-55 % moisture, making aerobic composting + anaerobic digestion the natural processing options for the bulk fraction.

Characterisation methodology is where most ULBs cut corners. CPHEEO + CPCB specify 7-day continuous weighing across 4 seasons (28 days total). Most ULBs do a single-day spot check + extrapolate. The result: under- or over-sized facilities, processing technology mismatch, landfill volume errors.

Festival + seasonal peaks: Diwali week-after spikes 25-40 % (packaging + decor); Ganesh festival in Mumbai/Pune brings mass coastal dumping; monsoon raises moisture from 40 % to 55 %, killing RDF calorific value temporarily.

Bulk generators (hotels, hospitals, malls, gated complexes > 100 units) per SBM 2.0 must manage their own waste — characterise them separately and ensure dedicated collection + processing arrangements.

Where this chapter sits: every chapter that follows depends on these numbers. Generation × composition + projection horizon define the system the rest of the chapters then design.

Download full manual from MoHUA →
Manual on Municipal Solid Waste Management · Revised Edition (2016) with SBM 2.0 (2021) + Plastic Waste / E-waste Rules updates · Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation (CPHEEO), Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India.
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