The review identifies beyond doubt the immense harm caused by uncontrolled burning and dumping of waste worldwide, particularly to those in the informal recycling sector who are most exposed to the risks. It provides a rigorous and valuable evidence base, which systematically revisits the scientific evidence on the neglected link between sound waste and resources management and the impact on human...

Reducing open waste burning is essential for achieving clean air, clean energy access, climate change mitigation, and improved health and well-being. Globally, over 2 billion tonnes of waste are produced annually. Household waste typically includes a mix of materials such as glass, plastics, metals, cardboard, paper, polystyrene, and organic matter like food and garden waste. Occasionally, it may ...

Uncontrolled burning of household waste is common in many countries and raises serious air quality concerns, but its impact on human health has not been well measured. The authors used the emissions data from Wiedinmyer et al. (2014) in the global GEOS-Chem model to make the first estimate of how many adults die early each year from long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) released by...

The Africa Waste Management Outlook Summary for Decision-Makers finds that Africa generated 125 million tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) in 2012, a figure expected to double by 2025. Waste collection averages only 55%, and over 90% of waste is dumped or openly burned, with 19 of the world’s 50 largest dumpsites located in Sub-Saharan Africa. Waste composition is dominated by organic matter (5...

The Africa Waste Management Outlook Summary for Decision-Makers finds that Africa generated 125 million tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) in 2012, a figure expected to double by 2025. Waste collection averages only 55%, and over 90% of waste is dumped or openly burned, with 19 of the world’s 50 largest dumpsites located in Sub-Saharan Africa. Waste composition is dominated by organic matter (5...

Key points include:Open burning of waste produces 11% of global black carbon emissions, with 26% of global waste burned at a residential level and 15% spontaneously burned at dump sites.Emissions from solid waste driven by open dumps and landfills account for about 5-12% of total global GHG emissions while methane generated from decomposing organic waste accounts for around 20% of global methane.O...

Municipal solid waste generation is predicted to grow from 2.1 billion tonnes in 2023 to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050. In 2020, the global direct cost of waste management was an estimated USD 252 billion. When factoring in the hidden costs of pollution, poor health and climate change from poor waste disposal practices, the cost rises to USD 361 billion. Without urgent action on waste management, by ...

Municipal solid waste generation is predicted to grow from 2.1 billion tonnes in 2023 to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050. In 2020, the global direct cost of waste management was an estimated USD 252 billion. When factoring in the hidden costs of pollution, poor health and climate change from poor waste disposal practices, the cost rises to USD 361 billion. Without urgent action on waste management, by ...

Numbers do matter; the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s 2010 data that the waste sector is responsible for just 3% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has led to the misperception that solid waste management (SWM) has little to contribute to climate mitigation. Global efforts to control methane emissions and divert organic waste from landfills had already reduced direct emis...

The State of Global Air 2025 report provides a comprehensive analysis of data for air quality and health impacts for countries around the world. The analysis finds that:36% of the world's population is exposed to levels of PM2.5 pollution above the least stringent interim target of 35 μg/m3.About 1/3 - almost 2.6 billion people - are exposed to pollution from burning solid fuels for cooking at hom...