Toshihiko Matsuto*, Nobutoshi Tanaka* and Naofumi Sawaishi**
* Hokkaido University, Lab of Solid Waste Disposal Engineering
** Institute for Reflexive Community.

+ Correspondence should be addressed to Toshihiko Matsuto:
(Kita 13 Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8628 Japan)

Abstract
The collected volume of household waste is a key index of municipal solid waste management because it equals to the volume that a municipality should treat or dispose of. This paper tried to determine why volume differ widely among cities.
The thirteen largest cities in Japan were surveyed. First, statistical data of solid waste collection, both the total volume in each municipality and the volume in administrative districts, were analyzed. Second, questionnaires were sent to residents in six administrative districts in four cities, asking 1) monthly generation of packaging waste, such as bottles and cans, and newspaper/magazines, and 2) disposal method of waste items. Waste flow in surveyed districts was estimated.
Major findings were: per capita waste generation is almost uniform among cities or administrative districts. Acceptance of business/commercial waste in household waste collection simply increases the collection volume. Low collection volume in Hiroshima is due to the wide practice of home-composting/incineration and recycling, and also to strict exclusion of business/commercial waste.

Key words: household waste, collection volume, metropolitan cities, questionnaire survey