Solid waste generation indicators, per capita, in Amazonian countries

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Waste Management
• Socioeconomics

Background:

• Countries in the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization face limited options for environmentally sound municipal solid waste disposal.
• Per capita waste generation is increasing disproportionately to global averages, particularly within this region.

Purpose of the Study:

• To statistically analyze demographic, socioeconomic, management, and ecological factors influencing per capita waste variation in Amazonian countries.
• To develop predictive models for waste per capita based on identified significant variables.

Main Methods:

• Multiple Kruskal-Wallis tests were employed to identify significant influencing variables.
• Simple and multivariate regression analyses were conducted using waste per capita and significant factors.
• Eighteen independent variables were statistically analyzed.

Main Results:

• Thirteen of the Kruskal-Wallis tests yielded significant results (p < 0.05).
• Simple regression highlighted "Index of Access to Basic Services" (IAC) and "Gini index" as significant predictors (R² = 60.09% and R² = 30.83%, respectively).
• Multivariate models explained substantial variation in waste per capita (54.47% ≤ R²aj ≤ 70.83%), with key variables including "IAC," "Total Population" (Ptot), "Urban Population" (Purb), "Waste Generation" (Wton), "Longitude" (Lon), "Area," "Human Development Index" (HDI), "Gini index," and "Sustainable Development Goal 11" (SDG11).

Conclusions:

• Waste per capita estimation models are subject to variations and geographical interdependencies.
• Identified factors and variables reflect the impact of current public policies and municipal solid waste management practices.
• Understanding these drivers is crucial for developing effective and sustainable waste management strategies in the Amazon region.