Title

An evaluation of municipal solid waste composition bias sources

Authors

Authors

H. Sfeir; D. R. Reinhart;P. R. McCauley-Bell

Comments

Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

Abbreviated Journal Title

J. Air Waste Manage. Assoc.

Keywords

Engineering, Environmental; Environmental Sciences; Meteorology &; Atmospheric Sciences

Abstract

The University of Central Florida (UCF) was contracted by the Florida Center for Solid and Hazardous Waste Management (FCSHWM) to develop a well-defined methodology for conducting municipal solid waste composition studies. This methodology must account for the statistical variations in waste composition, be economical and practical in implementation and build on a consensus of waste management professionals. This paper identifies possible sources of bias in waste composition study results and provides guidance for future planning of local waste stream composition analysis. To accomplish this objective, a composition study was designed and implemented for Marion County, FL, in fall 1996. The potential sources of concern investigated in detail were sample weight and contamination. The methodology developed by UCF is statistically valid and if widely implemented would provide a better representation of the waste stream. Lack of contamination adjustment is a major contributor to error in the waste stream analysis and should be accounted for in the methodology. For sample sorts using a large number of categories, sample size may be a contributor to bias. This likelihood for bias can be reduced by increasing the sample weight to at least 200 kg, particularly when sorting commercial loads or reducing the number of categories.

Journal Title

Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association

Volume

49

Issue/Number

9

Publication Date

1-1-1999

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

1096

Last Page

1102

WOS Identifier

WOS:000082832900010

ISSN

1047-3289

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