Integrated management of household solid waste

Abstract

In Mexico City an average urban family (made up of five members) produces a cubic meter of
domestic solid waste every month. This is equivalent to 1.5 kg per person per day. Domestic
solid wastes are responsible for 5,640 tons/day of the 11,990 tons/day generated in the Federal
District (DGSU, GDF, 2006). According to !NE, 77% of solid waste in the municipal area
comes from homes.
The domestic solid waste problem is heightened by the unfettered production generated by the
consumerist system. The overvaluation that people give to the products that they consume
stems from both lack of knowledge and insensitivity- many people only care about acquiring
things, without taking into account the impact that this has on the environment. To make
matters worse, Mexico City is lacking in regulations that oblige companies to only produce
returnable - or at least recyclable - products, which makes the accumulation and separation of
materials even more difficult.
To help diminish this solid waste production, households must take the initiative to
incorporate into their development plans measures for the adequate management of solid
waste. As such, the object of this work was to create in households a responsible attitude in
the care and environmental conservation to foment the separation and assist in the recycling
of solid waste. To achieve this objective, a guide was made in which different waste
management and separation alternatives were established. The guide also discusses
diminished costs associated with these practices, as well as other benefits. Various options for
composting in housing developments are given, and methods for cultivating plants using
organic and inorganic residues are described. Finally, the guide gives recommendations for
reducing and regulating construction wastes. The households that incorporate the guide's
suggestions help to create a clean, sustainable planet.