This paper analyzes the generation and composition
of municipal solid waste in Spanish towns and
cities with more than 5000 inhabitants, which altogether
account for 87 % of the Spanish population. To do so,
the total composition and generation of municipal solid
waste fractions were obtained from 135 towns and cities.
Homogeneity tests revealed heterogeneity in the
proportions of municipal solid waste fractions from
one city to another. Statistical analyses identified significant
differences in the generation of glass in cities of
different sizes and in the generation of all fractions
depending on the hydrographic area. Finally, linear regression
models and residuals analysis were applied to
analyze the effect of different demographic, geographic,
and socioeconomic variables on the generation of waste
fractions. The conclusions show that more densely populated
towns, a hydrographic area, and cities with over
50,000 inhabitants have higher waste generation rates,
while certain socioeconomic variables (people/car) decrease
that generation. Other socioeconomic variables
(foreigners and unemployment) show a positive and null
influence on that waste generation, respectively
