Waste management is a current and future challenge due to the increasing volume of waste. The amount of waste generated directly correlates with production and consumption patterns. The current level of natural resource utilization exceeds the Earth's capacity for replenishment. Therefore, humanity must take action to mitigate the consequences of rampant natural resource consumption. One way to achieve this goal is to increase the level of waste recycling. However, the amount of waste actually recycled is significantly lower than the theoretical processing capacity. Understanding human behavior is essential for improving efficiency and developing an integrated and effective recycling strategy.
The growing number of products sold poses a challenge. The challenge is growing number of products sold. Consequently, we reach a point where not only the technical aspects of collection and recycling are important, but the sociological aspect also proves essential for understanding the complexity of the problem. Demographic changes, such as the increase in single-person households, also affect the amount of waste generated. Factors such as social policy, the provision of additional benefits and subsidies, income growth, and lifestyle changes are also influencing factors affecting waste generation patterns, and these changes are noticeable. The quantity of municipal waste generated depends not only on population size but also on consumption patterns and economic prosperity. Other factors influencing the type and quantity of waste generated include the type of area (urban, rural), population density, type of housing (single-family, multi-family), number of tourists, existence of public facilities, and the type, size, and number of advertising, industrial, and service facilities. Pandemics and natural disasters occur suddenly and always have a measurable impact on waste management.
