An Overview on Municipal Solid Waste Characteristics and Its Impacts on Environment and Human Health

Municipal solid wastes threaten the environment, resulting from landfills, open burning, careless dumping, etc. Waste is being discarded in increasing amounts worldwide and has a diverse composition. Planning, designing, operating, or updating solid waste management systems requires careful consideration of the properties of municipal solid waste (MSW). Understanding local waste characteristics is crucial in developing efficient waste management strategies, as these characteristics are influenced by cultural, climatic, socioeconomic, and institutional capabilities. Inadequate municipal solid waste management has detrimental effects on the environment and poses risks to various forms of life, including human health. Untreated and inadequately managed municipal solid waste constitutes the principal causative factor behind numerous illnesses and diseases prevalent within a specific locality or even at a national level. Landfills produce a considerable amount of the potent greenhouse gas methane. The decomposition of municipal solid waste is the primary cause of this. Therefore, the overabundance of municipal solid waste affects the environment and human health and should be adequately addressed. This chapter covered the characteristics of municipal solid waste, its composition, factors that affect or influence municipal stable waste characteristics, and its impacts on the environment and human health. It aims to address the effects of municipal solid waste along with its complex features.