Solid Waste Management in the PacificSamoa Country Snapsnot

Abstract

Little data is available on the amounts and types of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated on Upolu, as regular waste assessments are not undertaken. Information that is currently available indicates that per capita MSW generation in diff erent parts of Upolu varies between 0.38 kilograms (kg) and 0.48 kg per person per day, depending on income levels, extent of urbanization, and other factors. MSW generation rates are most likely considerably higher in Apia than in the villages. Assuming an average per capita generation rate of 0.45 kg per person per day and a population of 138,000, the MSW household generation rate is therefore about 60 tons per day, or more than 20,000 tons per year. From mid-2012 until the year 2030, assuming nominal growth in population and per capita waste generation, Upolu is therefore expected to generate in excess of 350,000 tons of household waste, which is a significant amount for a small island nation. Added to this would be