Vital Waste Graphics 3

THE WASTE HEAP GLOBAL TRENDS

The world population is steadily increasing, consumption levels are growing, and as a result the global waste heap is getting bigger andbigger. Despite the economic difficulties facedby several countries, global trends for waste are clearly on the rise; and forecasts for 2050 indicate that these are long-term trends.

Municipal waste generation in rich countries Trends and projections Municipal waste generation in rich countries Trends and projections

By the middle of the century, 9 000 mil- lion human beings on the planet are ex- pected to generate over 13 100 million tonnes of waste – about 20 per cent more than in 2009. The general rule is that the rich produce more waste; but a certain level of development allows for some de- coupling of economic growth and waste production (cleaner production; waste prevention campaigns). This increase in waste generation is most apparent in urban areas. Today more than 50 per cent of the world’s popula- tion lives in cities. By 2050 this number is expected to rise to around 70 per cent, with 50 per cent of this total urban pop- ulation in Asian countries. Development of urban areas across the world, which is especially strong in emerging and developing countries, will pose significant challenges for policy- makers. Transport, housing, energy and

Kilograms per capita per year Kilograms per capita per year

PROJECTION PROJECTION

800 800

OECD North America OECD North America

700 700

600 600

Average Average

OECD OECD

500 500

OECD Asia Pacific OECD Asia Pacific

400 400

OECD Europe OECD Europe

300 300

200 200

100 100

At the time of the study, Chile, Estonia, Slovenia and Israel were not yet OECD members. At the time of the study, Chile, Estonia, Slovenia and Israel were not yet OECD members.

0 0

1980 1980

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030

Source: OECD Environmental Outlook to 2030, 2008. Source: OECD Environmental Outlook to 2030, 2008.

Waste generation vs. income in selected cities

Asia Africa Latin America

Europe North America

Municipal waste generation Kilograms per capita per year

1 000

Data for 2009 or latest year available 1 - Average municipal waste generation in Lebanese cities. 2 - Ogbomosono is a traditional African citty in Nigeria.

Seoul

900

Brasília

Kuala Lumpur

800

Lome

700

Dublin

Buenos Aires

Kiev

Osaka

600

Madrid

São Paulo

Santiago

Bangkok

London

Bujumbura

Rio

Mexico City

Prague

New York City

500

Athens

Bratislava

Curitiba

Kinshasa

Berlin

Zagreb

Hong Kong

Paris

Guangzhou

Budapest

Ljubljana

Toronto

400

Shanghai Beijing

Tokyo

Zurich

Abidjan

Lebanon cities 1

Nouakchott

Lima Quito

Jakarta

300

Singapore

Montevideo

Yokohama

Taipei

Harare

Bogotá Nanjing

200

Sources: Green city index reports , Economist Intelligence Unit, Siemens, 2009 to 2011; www.sweep-net.org; Eric Achankeng, Globalization, Urbanization and Municipal Solid Waste Management in Africa , University of Adelaide, 2003; Solid waste management in Dhaka city , Dhaka City Corporation, The People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Japan International Cooperation Agency, 2005; CREDOC, 2011.

Belo Horizonte

Delhi

Cairo

Tunis

Accra

100

Banjul

Lagos Ogbomoso 2

Porto Alegre

0

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

National Gross Domestic Product Dollars per capita per year (in purchasing power parity, inflation adjusted)

VITAL WASTE GRAPHICS 3 6