Sectorization of solid household waste collection routes by multivariate techniques: a case study of the city of Recife, Brazil

ABSTRACT

Finding solutions to the problem of household solid waste (HSW) is one of the challenges faced by municipal managers. In view of the upward scenario of generation of these materials, especially in urban centers, the implementation of an integrated model and adequate to the reality of society is essential. In this sense, the sectorization of collection routes from the use of multivariate techniques can assist the manager in proposing solid waste sector models that take into account the socioeconomic particularities of the studied areas. In this way, the present article uses the multivariate techniques of Analysis of Principal Components to evaluate the correlation of population, income, generation, and gravimetric composition of the residues, listing among these most representative indicators; and the Hierarchical Grouping Analysis to segment 31 collection routes into clusters by similarity. Population, household and per capita income, per capita waste production and recyclable, food and putrescible residues were well represented in the study. Income and per capita production showed a strong positive correlation. The segmentation of the routes generated two groups: A and B, which resulted in five subgroups by similarity: A1, A2, B1, B2, and B3. The A1 and A2 subgroups comprised the lower class sectors, while the B1, B2, and B3 clusters comprised the upper, middle, and commercial sectors, respectively. The sectorization of routes through the degree of similarity presents itself as the basic step for the proposition of HSW sectorial models that seek to understand the particularities listed.

Keywords:
solid waste management; collection sectors; management indicators; principal component analysis; hierarchical grouping analysis