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Page added on September 20, 2018
Global Waste to Grow by 70 Percent by 2050
Without urgent action, global waste will increase by 70 percent on current levels by 2050, according to the World Bank’s new What a Waste 2.0: A Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management to 2050 report.
Driven by rapid urbanization and growing populations, global annual waste generation is expected to jump to 3.4 billion tonnes over the next 30 years, up from 2.01 billion tonnes in 2016, the report finds.
Although they only account for 16 percent of the world’s population, high-income countries combined are generating more than one-third (34 percent) of the world’s waste. The East Asia and Pacific region is responsible for generating close to a quarter (23 percent) of all waste. And by 2050, waste generation in Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to more than triple from current levels, while South Asia will more than double its waste stream.
Plastics are especially problematic. If not collected and managed properly, they will contaminate and affect waterways and ecosystems for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. In 2016, the world generated 242 million tonnes of plastic waste, or 12 percent of all solid waste, according to the report.
What a Waste 2.0 stresses that solid waste management is critical for sustainable, healthy, and inclusive cities and communities, yet it is often overlooked, particularly in low-income countries. While more than one-third of waste in high-income countries is recovered through recycling and composting, only 4 percent of waste in low-income countries is recycled.
Based on the volume of waste generated, its composition, and how the waste is being managed, it is estimated that 1.6 billion tonnes of carbon-dioxide-equivalent were generated from the treatment and disposal of waste in 2016 – representing about 5 percent of global emissions.
“Mismanagement of waste is harming human health and local environments while adding to the climate challenge,” said Laura Tuck, Vice President for Sustainable Development, World Bank. “Unfortunately, it is often the poorest in society who are adversely impacted by inadequate waste management. It doesn’t have to be this way. Our resources need to be used and then reused continuously so that they don’t end up in landfills.”
The report notes that good waste management systems are essential to building a circular economy, where products are designed and optimized for reuse and recycling. As national and local governments embrace the circular economy, smart and sustainable ways to manage waste will help promote efficient economic growth while minimizing environmental impact.
“It makes economic sense to properly manage waste,” said Silpa Kaza, World Bank Urban Development Specialist and lead author of the report. “Uncollected waste and poorly disposed waste have significant health and environmental impacts. The cost of addressing these impacts is many times higher than the cost of developing and operating simple, adequate waste management systems. Solutions exist and we can help countries get there.”
Supporting countries to make critical solid waste management financing, policy, and planning decisions is key. Solutions include:
- Providing financing to countries most in need, especially the fastest growing countries, to develop state-of-the-art waste management systems.
- Supporting major waste producing countries to reduce consumption of plastics and marine litter through comprehensive waste reduction and recycling programs.
- Reducing food waste through consumer education, organics management, and coordinated food waste management programs.
Since 2000, the World Bank has committed over $4.7 billion to more than 340 solid waste management programs in countries across the globe.
What a Waste 2.0 was funded by the government of Japan through the World Bank’s Tokyo Development Learning Center (TDLC).
19 Comments on "Global Waste to Grow by 70 Percent by 2050"
onlooker on Thu, 20th Sep 2018 8:15 pm
Some people have said Civilization is a heat engine. Well, you can say it also is a waste producing engine.
makati1 on Thu, 20th Sep 2018 9:14 pm
Amazing how many people take a chart of events to date, draw a straight line at the same angle to the future and call it “research”. 2050 is not going to be anything like BAU.
We will all be dead of radiation poisoning or, at least, living a 3rd world life. Those who survive the crash and burn coming, that is. I would be 106 in 2050 so I will probably not see it.
BTW: The World Bank is NOT a source for realist numbers or ideas. They are part of the problem, not the solution. A USMSM propaganda source.
The last drop on Thu, 20th Sep 2018 10:07 pm
Yes, human corpse waste will increase at least by 70%, no doubt,
makati1 on Thu, 20th Sep 2018 11:58 pm
Florence update:
“Hurricane Florence Death Toll: 37 Humans, 3.4 Million Farm Animals”
https://moneymaven.io/mishtalk/economics/hurricane-florence-death-toll-37-humans-3-4-million-farm-animals-zrfgJtMgwUiRW5zZ5objFQ/
“”Serious Public Health Crisis” Developing As Lagoons Of Pig Waste Overflow After Florence”
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-09-19/lagoons-pig-waste-overflow-after-florence-serious-public-health-crisis-develops
“Floods limit access to Duke’s Brunswick nuclear plant; crews use porta-potties, cots”
https://www.heraldsun.com/news/local/article218530735.html
And the beat goes on…
Go Speed Racer on Fri, 21st Sep 2018 5:47 am
As always, the liberals are causing the problem.
There is too much garbage and landfill is
destructive to the Earth.
The correct solution is garbage incineration,
but the liberals oppose it and want
all the garbage dumped into the ravine.
Therefore, the expanding pile of garbage
is the fault of the evil liberals.
Liberalism is a mental disorder, per
the most excellent ‘Mike Savage’ talk radio show.
twocats on Fri, 21st Sep 2018 8:23 am
at least the Republicans have gone full eschatological. The Dems still hold out a sad sad hope that things can go “back to the way they were”. not in 10 million years. Maybe 300 million.
Sissyfuss on Fri, 21st Sep 2018 9:09 am
Having worked in the recycling business I can tell you that it is surfeit with green washing and token efforts, a way to make the consumers feel better about their wanton destruction of all things natural. To truly effect meaningful transition away from our wasteful living arrangements you need to change corporate culture, exactly the opposite of what President Prevaricater is enacting.
Fuck Speed Racer on Fri, 21st Sep 2018 9:12 am
Trash incineration isn’t really a solution to this issue; at best it reduces the volume of waste to be landfilled, approximately 17% of the pre-incinerated waste by weight. But that bottom ash is now hazardous waste and needs special handling. And of course now you’ve lost any chance to get additional use cycles out of the materials burned. It’s far better to reduce the waste streams and look for repurposing opportunities. Really the problem has been a culture that has seemingly strived to maximize it”s energy use which invariably produces more waste than can can be found uses for. We need to look at the Amish for lessons in responsible energy use.
Sissyfuss on Fri, 21st Sep 2018 9:30 am
Don’t look to the Amish for lessons in responsible family planning.
DerHundistLos on Fri, 21st Sep 2018 6:26 pm
90%+ of the plastic pollution that comprises the Texas sized Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch originates in Asia where it’s normal and customary to dispose of garbage into rivers- out of sight, out of mind.
Go Speed Racer on Fri, 21st Sep 2018 6:56 pm
See that’s what I like, FSR, is having a fan club.
An you’re one of the members of my fan club.
Now about the garbage, if you see resources in that trash, like an old copper extension cord, it’s OK to pull
that outta there before it gets burnt.
I recycle all that kind of stuff, like iron copper and pop cans. The incineration is for burning what’s left.
Now ya see how it works? Go Trash Incineration !!
makati1 on Fri, 21st Sep 2018 7:21 pm
So, if you dump it in the rivers, it is bad, but if you burn it or bury it it is ok? All three methods of disposal are pollution in a large scale.
Floating in the ocean, it breaks down into the water and is consumed by fish and seafood. If you burn it there is still the same chemicals but it is now released into the air to breath and the soil to pollute ground water for wells. And, if you bury it, it only takes a bit longer to break down and again pollute the water table. The chemicals do not ho away, they just get dispersed in different ways.
Now, the US is having a major problem…
“China doesn’t want our plastic waste anymore.”
https://www.nrdc.org/onearth/america-needs-plastics-intervention-nows-time
“… of the 6.3 billion metric tons of plastic waste that the world has generated since the middle of the last century, we’ve managed to recycle only about 9 percent of it…. Our days of offloading our garbage are coming to an end. It’s time to start making less of it.”
“See wave of garbage off the Dominican Republic”
https://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2018/07/22/garbage-plastic-wave-dominican-republic-parley-for-the-oceans-jm-orig.cnn
“Plastic trash from Americas and Europe fill the Arctic ecosystem.”
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/plastic-trash-from-americas-and-europe-fill-the-arctic-ecosystem/
The number one trash producing country? No, not China. No, not India. It’s the USofA!
“As a nation, Americans generate more waste than any other nation in the world with 4.5 pounds (2.04 kg) of municipal solid waste (MSW) per person per day, fifty five percent of which is contributed as residential garbage.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste_by_country
Nuff said.
onlooker on Fri, 21st Sep 2018 7:35 pm
http://rockrivertimes.com/2014/03/19/ocean-apocalypse-data-based-trends-suggest-looming-disaster/
Ocean Apocalpse from The major adverse impacts on the ocean are from overfishing, pollution and climate change.
When the Oceans die we die
See youtube video
Fuck Speed Racer II on Fri, 21st Sep 2018 10:29 pm
I can’t tell whether Speed Racer is being sarcastic or if he really believes the shit he writes- Michael Savage speaks and so it must be done.
Sissyfuss on Fri, 21st Sep 2018 10:46 pm
FSR11, if he’s talking about burning things he’s serious as a heart attack. Which was probably triggered by his burning of things.
Go Speed Racer on Fri, 21st Sep 2018 11:26 pm
Well we gotta listen to Mike Savage now
that Alex Jones got shut down.
Let’s say U pull out that old copper extension cord from
the dumpster, I do that all the time.
Then U strip off the jackets to have pure
electrical grade copper. Fetches a good price,
valuable metal.
What to do with all those tailings of PVC electrical
insulation? That’s what goes to the incinerator.
Been doing it a long time. The main problem with
the industrial garbage incinerators is they have a
gigantic smoke scrubber and there’s no visible
smoke coming out the top.
However. All that could be disabled and removed,
then we would have a gigantic rooster tail of
black smoke
shooting out the top,
that’s how we will Make America Great Again,
is tall smokestacks belching out lots of black smoke.
FSRII on Sat, 22nd Sep 2018 4:31 am
Sissyfuss
No, the reference to Michael Savage should have been a clue that I was referring to his post at 5:47AM.
DerHundistLos on Sat, 22nd Sep 2018 7:25 am
“So, if you dump it in the rivers, it is bad, but if you burn it or bury it it is ok?”
Uh, hell yeah.
In all civilized countries outside of Asia it’s illegal to dump garbage into waterways. Mak, you choose to live in a society where it’s normal to throw garbage into the rivers and oceans and that’s your choice.
Your defense of the indefensible is crazy.
Go Speed Racer on Sat, 22nd Sep 2018 5:41 pm
Don’t dump garbage into the river !!
It becomes soggy and hard to light.