Comparative Analysis of Landfill Sites in Baghdad: A Case Study of Al-Nubai and Al-Nahrawan Sites

¹ College of Civil Engineering, University of Technology-Iraq, Alsinaa St., 10066 Baghdad, Iraq.
² Civil Engineering Department, Wasit University, Wasit, Iraq.

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published online: 1 July 2026

Abstract

The aim of this study is to make a statistical and time series analysis of the inflow of waste at two landfill sites (Al-Nubai & Al-Nahrawan) in Baghdad at a comparative basis. There is a significant difference in the amount of waste collected at the two sites over a 12-month period. The results indicated that the waste volume of Al-Nahrawan is greater than that of Al-Nubai and the average waste volume of Al-Nahrawan is 12% higher than that of Al-Nubai throughout the year. Al-Nahrawan reported the greatest amount of waste inflow in December, and Al-Nubai reported a significant increase in February.The time series analysis depicts the fluctuation of the growth rate throughout the year: Al-Nahrawan had a 20% increase in waste while Al-Nubai had a 15% increase. Waste at both places was reduced during March with Al-Nubai reduced by 5% and Al-Nahrawan by 3%. However, these changes were not seen to be statistically significant as the t-statistic for this is -1.045 and the p-value is 0.306 for statistical significance (t-test). In addition, waste predicted trends reveal a consistent rise in waste in both locations, requiring adaptive waste management. The two sites will see higher volume of waste; Al-Nahrawan will likely need additional resources because of the higher amount of waste at this site. This analysis can be used to enhance waste management systems, ensure efficient use of resources and to respond to variations in waste volume throughout the year at the landfills.