Which of the following is excluded from MSW?

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) refers specifically to the waste generated by households and businesses in urban areas, typically excluding hazardous or specialized waste types. The correct answer identifies medical waste as being excluded from the category of MSW.

Medical waste is characterized by its potentially hazardous nature and originates from healthcare facilities, containing materials that may pose risks to human health or the environment. Due to the specific handling, treatment, and disposal requirements associated with medical waste—such as sterilization and incineration—it is regulated separately from standard municipal solid waste.

In contrast, household waste, commercial waste, and institutional waste are types of waste that do fall under the category of MSW, as they originate from typical day-to-day activities and do not usually require specialized disposal methods. This delineation helps clarify why medical waste is treated differently and underscores its exclusion from MSW.