Solid waste is the unwanted or useless solid materials generated from human activities in residential, industrial or commercial areas. It may be categorised in three ways. According to its:

origin (domestic, industrial, commercial, construction or institutional)
contents (organic material, glass, metal, plastic paper etc)
hazard potential (toxic, non-toxin, flammable, radioactive, infectious etc).
Solid Waste Management reduces or eliminates the adverse impact on the environment & human health. A number of processes are involved in effectively managing waste for a municipality. These include monitoring, collection, transport, processing, recycling and disposal. The quantum of waste generated varies mainly due to different lifestyles, which is directly proportional to socio economic status of the urban population.