The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published the following data for municipal solid waste generation (in millions of tons).
Year: 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
MSW: 88 104 121 128 152 166 205 221 249
a) Assume that the growth is exponential (i.e., plot the log of generation versus time) and calculate a value for the annual growth rate (% / yr).
b) If the annual rate of population growth is 1.8%, calculate a value of the annual rate of growth in per capita generation of solid waste.
c) Estimate a value of MSW generation in the year 2025.
d) Suggest one method that might be used to decrease the rate of growth in per capita generation rate