Relationship between GDP and Municipal Waste: Regional Disparities and Implication for Waste Management Policies.

This article analyses the relationship between various economic indicators, such as GDP per capita and socio-economic status, and municipal waste generation in Bulgaria compared to other EU countries. The study analyses how economic and social indicators in Bulgaria and other countries affect waste generation through multiple regression, hierarchical cluster, and comparative analyses. The objectives of the investigation include classifying countries according to the degree of relationship between GDP and municipal waste, comparing countries on these indicators, examining the profiles of different groups of countries according to their socio-economic status and the amount of waste generated, and analysing the relationship between GDP and municipal waste in different countries. Based on the results, sustainable waste management strategies are proposed, applicable not only in Bulgaria but also in other similar countries. This approach provides valuable guidance for formulating sustainable waste management policies and measures while highlighting the importance of economic and social factors in forming such strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]