Waste Management Statistics: Uncovering the State of Waste Around the World

According to a report, about 2.01 billion tons of municipal solid waste is generated globally each year. The amount is projected to increase to 3.40 billion tons by 2050. Waste management is a crucial aspect of the modern world. With the amplifying population and industrialization, waste generation is sure to rise.

In this blog, we have examined the latest waste management statistics from across the world. From the types of waste generated to the steps you can take as a waste collection business, we have shed light on the opportunities to tackle problems. This will help you make informed decisions on the areas of improvement. 

Current State of Waste Management

Waste management is the process of handling, controlling, and disposing of waste materials in a responsible and efficient manner. Effective waste management not only prevents pollution but also conserves natural resources and reduces greenhouse gases. Waste management is growing in demand for many reasons.

Top Waste Management Statistics

There are a lot of statistics and emerging trends in the waste management industry. Here are the most significant ones: 

#1 Waste generation by region

#2 Paper waste

• Paper and paperboard products account for the largest amount, 23.1% of all the materials in municipal solid waste (MSW). 
• Paperless offices are trending, yet the average office employees produce around 2 pounds of paper and paperboard waste everyday.

#3 Food waste 

• Food waste is among the top category of materials, estimated at 63.1 million tons in 2018. 
• Around 8% of global greenhouse emissions are caused due to food waste.
• Food waste accounts for a loss of more than $161 billion every year.

#4 E-Waste 

• E-waste, short for electronic waste, is the fastest-growing substance in the world’s waste. 
• There was a rise in global e-waste volumes to 53.6 million tons in 2019.
• In 2019, the percentage of e-waste recycled was only 17.4%.

#5 Plastic waste 

• Worldwide plastic production was estimated to be around 390.7 million tonnes in 2021, a rise of 4%. 
• Approximately 8 million metric tons of plastic waste is dumped in the ocean every year.
• About 5 million plastic bottles are trashed in the US each hour, which is estimated to be around 35 billion annually.

#6 Textile waste

• Around 11.3 million tons of textile waste is generated in the US each year.
• Americans discard around 13 million tons of textiles each year, which is around 85% of their clothes.
• It can take around 40 years for some clothing materials to decompose in landfill.

#7 Construction waste 

• Construction and demolition activities generate roughly 1.3 billion tonnes of waste yearly.
• Construction waste is estimated to be approximately 25 to 30% of the total waste discarded in landfills.

#8 Hazardous waste 

• Around 13 tons of hazardous waste is being produced each second.
• The most common types of waste on these hazardous waste sites include batteries, electronic waste, and medical waste. 

#9 Waste disposal methods 

• Landfilling, the most commonly used method of waste disposal, accounts for over 60% of the total waste produced. 
• Incineration and recycling account for less than 20% of the total waste generated.
• The US is likely to run out of space in landfills by 2036. 
• There are around 3,091 active landfills and above 10,000 closed municipal landfills in the US. 

#10 Recycling rates 

• The recycling rate for municipal solid waste (MSW) around the globe is around 32%.
• The global plastic recycling rate was calculated to be around 9% in 2019.
• Recycling one ton of paper material saves approximately 3 cubic yards of landfill space.
• The recycling rate for construction and demolition waste is estimated to be around 50% globally.

Challenges in Waste Management

1. Ensuring regulatory compliance: 

Regulatory compliance required to adhere to complex and ever-changing waste collection regulations can become challenging at times. 

2. Increasing operational costs: 

Waste management companies may find it hard to handle expenses related to waste collection, transportation, and treatment due to high fuel expenses, labor costs, and maintenance spends. 

3. Inadequate support from localities:

Adopting new (and more efficient) waste management procedures can face resistance from people, companies, and governments due to reasons, such as the lack of knowledge, false beliefs, or social and economic barriers. 

4. Recycling contamination:

Mixing non-recyclable items with recyclables leads to contamination and minimizes the quality and marketability of recycled materials. This, thus, makes it difficult to achieve high recycling rates. 

5. Imprecise data and reporting:

Relying on manual data collection can lead to errors, making it hard to make data-driven decisions that can help enhance operational efficiency. 

How to Tackle Challenges in Waste Management 

Waste management companies must step forward in addressing the challenges. Here are some ways in which they can help:

• Conduct recycling programs: Waste management companies can carry out and manage recycling programs to increase recycling rates.
• Develop innovative technologies: Investing in innovative waste management technologies, such as waste-to-energy facilities, composting facilities, and bioreactor landfills can help minimize the overall impact.
• Increase outreach and awareness: Waste management companies can provide education and outreach programs to promote waste reduction and recycling efforts.
• Work with governments and communities: Working with governments and communities can help develop effective waste management policies and programs.
• Encourage sustainable practices: Promoting sustainable practices, such as recycling, composting, and waste reduction, will help reduce waste’s impact.

Conclusion

Solid and municipal waste management is a growing problem around the globe with billions of tons of waste produced. Most of this waste results in increasing landfills, which directly causes environmental degradation, climate change, and the exhaustion of landfill space. If you are associated with the waste management industry, you are doing a commendable job contributing to the environment. 

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