Which of the following is NOT typically considered municipal solid waste?

• A. Durable goods
• B. Nondurable goods
• C. Food waste and yard trimmings
• D. Sludges from wastewater treatment plants

Answer: (D)

Municipal solid waste comprises everyday discarded materials from households and businesses, including durable goods (like appliances), nondurable goods (such as packaging and paper), and organic waste (food scraps and yard trimmings). These are the types of waste that curbside collection programs are designed to handle.

Sludges from wastewater treatment plants come from the wastewater system itself, not from consumer discard. They are wastewater residuals (often treated as biosolids) and are managed separately from municipal solid waste, with different handling, processing, and regulatory considerations. Because of this origin and management path, sludges are not typically categorized as municipal solid waste.

So the first three options fit the usual scope of municipal solid waste, while sludges from wastewater treatment plants do not.