DOI: 10.14466/cefasdatahub.97
title: CLiP Belize Land Waste Audits and Interviews 2019

description: This dataset contains 4 csv files. HouseholdsolidwasteauditBelizedata.csv reports solid waste abundance and composition data from households expressed in number of items, weight or volume; and CommercialsolidwasteauditBelizedata.csv reports solid waste abundance and composition data from commercial activities. HouseholdsolidwasteauditBelizemetadata.csv reports the results of interviews done when solid waste samples were collected to gather information about household occupants social status and behaviour, including the fate of solid waste not collected through the official waste management service. CommercialsolidwasteauditBelizemetadata.csv reports information about number of employees, type of business and waste collection and disposal collected through interviews. Household waste audits were conducted in eight communities between May and June 2019 in Belize (Belmopan, Mahogany Heights, Dangriga, Corozal, Belize City, Orange Walk, Bullet Tree Falls in Cayo, and Toledo rural). Commercial activities were also audited in five locations (Belmopan, Belize City, Corozal, Dangriga and Punta Gorda). A total of 268 households and 64 commercial activities were audited. Also, 12 samples were collected in Belize City to analyse the litter swiped from streets by city council contractors. A READ-ME text file contains the description of columns content for the two csv files. The Commonwealth Litter Project (CLiP) supported Belize to take action on plastics entering the oceans. Currently 80% of marine litter is estimates to be originated on land and Cefas contracted Asia Pacific Waste Consultants to assess the land waste production rates and waste management performances. The sample collection was limited by the ease of collection of samples, the ability to transport samples, as well as the presence and absence of collection systems. Domestic waste samples were collected household by household targeting low-, medium- and high- income areas to determine waste generation and disposal rates. In areas with house-to-house collection system, the waste bags ready for collection by the waste truck were collected and the household occupiers were interviewed. This was the same protocol followed to sample comemrcial activities. In areas with no collection system, each household was provided with a bag to use to dispose of their waste. Bags were retrieved after one day and discarded to avoid biases in the data linked to the disposal of bulky and unusual items. A second bag was then provided, collected after 5 days and analysed. An interview was conducted with the member of the household depositing the bag. Local staff members were trained to undertake the interview. All waste was collected in labelled plastic bags that were individually opened to sort their contents into categories. Separated materials were weighed on a set of electronic scales. Beverage containers were stored and counted separately. Containers were sorted by size, material (e.g. plastic, aluminium) and product type (e.g. milk, juice). Further, all plastic bags were sorted into different types of bags and all containers were further sorted by size, material type and product type. Cigarette butts, coffee cups and takeaway containers were also segregated. Data quality was checked at several stages by Asia Pacific Waste Consultants before submission of the final version of the dataset. Data were checked during entering for completeness and adjust possible errors.