MSW primarily consists of which types of waste?

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) predominantly includes waste generated from household, commercial, and institutional sources. This category reflects the everyday waste produced by individuals in their homes, as well as waste from businesses and institutions like schools and hospitals.

Household waste encompasses things like food scraps, packaging, and other materials discarded by residents. Commercial waste arises from businesses, including offices, restaurants, and retail establishments, contributing to the overall volume of MSW through discarded materials such as packaging, food waste, and paper products. Institutional waste adds another layer, consisting of waste from public and private institutions such as schools, hospitals, and government buildings, which includes a mix of general waste similar to that found in households and commercial settings.

Understanding the components of MSW is essential for effective waste management strategies and policy development, as it helps identify recycling and composting opportunities to reduce the overall waste going to landfills. The other options, while encompassing important types of waste, do not accurately represent the primary types that fall under the umbrella of municipal solid waste.