The rate and composition of gases released during anaerobic degradation of solid waste were measured. From 55 kg to 80.5 kg of solid waste was placed in 208-l containers, sealed, and maintained at different environmental conditions, and the gas production and composition were measured. The major gases observed in the present study were CO2, H2 and CH4. The maximum rate of gas production was 0.18 l/kg.day while the maximum amount of gas produced was 5.7 l/kg.day dry weight during the 300-day testing period. The rate of gas production generally increased with increasing moisture content and temperature and with decreasing solid waste size and density.