Iranian Journal of

Background and Objectives: In the recent years Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) has been one of the most important environmental concerns to throughout regions of Iran. Sound MSW management for any area needs to the reliable data in which present the actual MSW condition in that area. The aim of this study is express of integrated view of MSW in Iran.
Materials and Methods:  In this study we collect the data from various municipal regions of Iran, to represent the roughly integrated view of MSW management situation in Iran. In this paper quantity, average generation rate, physical composition, and types of disposal methods in all of municipal regions of Iran also were investigated.
Results: Results from this study has shown that the amount of MSW generated in all of the municipal regions of Iran was 10370798 tons per year, and the average generation rate of MSW was 0.64 kg/capita/day. Results showed that only 6% of MSW was recycled, 10% was treated at organic waste (composting) plants, and about 84% was disposed of in landfill.
Conclusion: According to obtained results from this study and compare  MSW composition of Iran to some countries, its found that MSW properties in Iran is near to MSW properties in Low-income countries. Since the most of MSW in Iran contain organic fraction, there is a high potential to develop of composting industry.

Background and Objectives: Recycling is one of the best alternatives in solid wastes management.  Recycling has few benefits from the viewpoint of economics and environmental. Paper and cardboard are the valuable recyclable materials in solid wastes. The rate of paper recycling is 35% in world. The major production source of paper and cardboard wastes is private and governmental offices and organizations. To be informed about paper production is very important in the solid wastes recycling.Thus, the aim of this study was to determine production rate of paper and cardboard waste and also to determine paper recycling potential in the 20 head offices of Mazandaran province.
Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in the 20 head offices of at province center. The  offices were selected by chance. This study was conducted four months in 2006. paper waste was separated after suspension of work. Collected material weighed on the sensitive scales. Separation and measuring was done for a week per month.
Results: The results showed that more than 2 tons of paper waste was produced in the twenty offices.  The maximum and minimum of paper production was in education and recycling organization, respectively. The maximum and minimum of production rate was 2.08 and 0.192 kg per capita in month that was in the education and Jihad-e-Agriculture organization, respectively. Also the maximum and minimum of paper waste was produced at first work day of week (Saturday) and last work day of week (Thursday), respectively. However, it was not significantly (P >0.05). Paperrecycling operation and marketing was done in an office.
Conclusion: Findings of this study indicated that office solid waste management needs more notice  in Iran. And also calculations showed that paper recycling is economical.