A Study on the Effect of Affluence on Solid Waste Generation in Kota

Waste is a part of the human condition of existence: the higher we soar above the basic level of survival, the greater and more diverse the rejects of civilized living. In areas with low population density waste generation may have been negligible. In higher population areas even largely biodegradable waste had to be dealt with. Waste management and recycling of waste are rapidly achieving major importance for essentially these two reasons: to maintain an acceptable environment free from excessive pollution and to conserve even scarcer and costlier raw materials and energy. The explosive population growth combined with an increasing appetite for consumer goods, has led to an explosion in the amount of garbage we produce. Virtually every aspect of our daily lives generates waste, and it is impossible to think of any man-made process that does not create some waste. The aim of the present paper is to study the relation between the social affluence and the amount of solid waste generated. The present study was carried out in Kota where the waste generation rates were compared for different income group colonies. It has been observed that quantity of waste generated in these colonies is influenced by the economic status of the people.