Municipal Waste Generation Calculator
How much waste a population generates, how much is diverted to recycling and composting, what goes to landfill, and the truck movements and landfill space it takes.
Generation is population times kilograms per person per day — around 1 to 2 kg in developed cities.
How the municipal waste generation calculator works
Generation is population times kilograms per person per day — around 1 to 2 kg in developed cities. Diversion is the share recycled or composted; the rest is landfilled.
Landfill space is where the arithmetic bites. Compacted waste runs about 0.8 tonnes per cubic metre, so a city of 180,000 at 60% diversion still fills a hectare four metres deep every year or so.
Formula: landfill = population × kg/day × 365 × (1 − diversion)
Worked examples
| Inputs | Waste generated per year (tonnes) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 180,000 people at 55% diversion | 92,043 | about 92,000 tonnes a year |
| High diversion | 92,043 | landfill falls by more than half |
| A wasteful city | 144,639 | a lot of landfill |
FAQFrequently asked questions
How much waste does a person produce?
One to two kilograms a day in developed countries, household and commercial together. Efficient cities are pushing toward one.
What is a good diversion rate?
Sixty per cent is good; the best cities exceed 75. The organic fraction is where the easy gains are.
How dense is landfilled waste?
About 0.8 tonnes per cubic metre after compaction, rising over time as it settles. Loose waste is a third of that.
Why do trucks matter?
Collection is most of the cost of a waste system. The truck count drives fleet, depot and route planning.
Does diversion reduce truck movements?
Not much — diverted material still has to be collected, often in a separate truck. It reduces landfill, not logistics.
Where these figures come from
- UN-Habitat — Urban Indicators Guidelines — density, green space and public space benchmarks
- World Health Organization — Urban green spaces — the 9 m² per person minimum
- ITE — Parking Generation Manual — parking demand rates by land use
- Office for National Statistics — Population estimates — the UK's national statistics agency
Last checked: September 2026. Default per-capita rates are mid-range figures from national statistical agencies and utility reports; every one is an input you should replace with the local figure.