The gravimetric composition of solid waste (SW) landfill is basic information for environmental monitoring and projects evaluation. The lack of standard procedures for sampling, the inherent heterogeneity of SW and the different disposal techniques of such wastes or type of landfill, among other factors, have imposed certain limitations to obtain data about landfill gravimetric composition. The objective of this work was to evaluate the difference between the gravimetric composition of SW collected from an open dump and from a controlled landfill and to evaluate if this composition changes with depth of sampling. There was little difference between the SW collected in the two types of landfills. In the controlled landfill pasted mass (41,2 %) was the major component, while in the open dump the plastic film (35,0 %) was the most common material. The SW composition did not change with the sampling depth.
Waste characterization; landfill; recycling
