Moisture content of solid-waste

A step by step approach

How to Calculate moisture
content of solid-waste?
Calculation steps
1. Take a sample from solid waste and weight as wet weight
2. Identify the individual component of solid-waste
3. Determine percentages of individual component
4. Calculate the dry weight of each component and sum it
5. Calculate the moisture content by following formula
Moisture content

6. Apply it to the whole waste

Step 1
Take a sample from solid waste and weight as wet weight

• From solid waste dumpsite 100 Kg sample

100 Kg
Step 2 and 3
Identify the individual component of solid-waste
convert it into percentages

1) Identify the individual components

2) Weight each individual component
3) Convert it into percentages
% of component
Components Wet Weight in Kg Percentages
Food waste 15 15
Paper 45 45
Cardboard 10 10
Plastic 10 10
Garden trimming 10 10
wood 5 5
Tin can 5 5
Step 4
Calculate the dry weight of each component and sum it
1) Note the percentage of component
2) Note the moister content of that component from table

Dry weight of component

Components Wet Weight in kg % moisture typical Dry weight in Kg

Food waste 15 70 4.5
Paper 45 6 42.3
Cardboard 10 5 9.5
Plastic 10 2 9.8
Garden trimming 10 60 4
wood 5 20 4
Tin can 5 3 4.9

Total 100 kg 79.0 kg

1. Step 5
Calculate the moisture content by following formula

Moisture content

Wet weight Dry weight

Total 100 kg 79.0

Moisture content

= 21%
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