United Nations group favors shift toward recycling

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has issued a report forecasting municipal solid waste (MSW) levels to rise globally by two thirds.

As have previous UNEP efforts and messages, the report endorses waste reduction techniques as important. However, the phrases “circular economy approaches” and “turning rubbish into resources” also are used.

“Waste generation is intrinsically tied to GDP, and many fast-growing economies are struggling under the burden of rapid waste growth,” says Inger Andersen, executive director of the Nairobi, Kenya-based UNEP.

“By identifying actionable steps to a more resourceful future and emphasizing the pivotal role of decision makers in the public and private sectors to move toward zero waste, this Global Waste Management Outlook can support governments seeking to prevent missed opportunities to create more sustainable societies and to secure a livable planet for future generations."

The report, “Beyond an age of waste: Turning rubbish into a resource,” represents the 2024 version of the UNEP Global Waste Management Outlook (GWMO 2024), and UNEP says it provides the most substantial update on global waste generation and the cost of waste and its management since 2018.

The analysis uses life cycle assessments to explore what the world could gain or lose through continuing business as usual, adopting halfway measures, or committing fully to zero waste and circular economy societies.

According to the report, MSW generation, including recyclable fractions, is predicted to grow from 2.3 billion metric tons in 2023 to 3.8 billion metric tons by 2050.

The cost of handling MSW, whether recycling it or operating relatively safe landfills, was an estimated $252 billion in 2020, according to UNEP.

“However, when factoring in the hidden costs of pollution, poor health and climate change from poor waste disposal practices, the cost rises to $361 billion,” UNEP says. “Without urgent action on waste management, by 2050 this global annual cost could almost double to a staggering $640.3 billion.”

“The GWMO 2024 is a guide and call for action to catalyze collective efforts to support bold and transformative solutions, revert the adverse impacts of current waste management practices and provide clear benefits to every individual living on this planet,” adds Carlos Silva Filho, president of the Netherlands-based International Solid Waste Association (ISWA).

UNEP says the report’s modelling shows that getting waste “under control" by taking waste prevention and management measures could limit net annual costs by 2050 to $270.2 billion. However, projections show that a circular economy model, where waste generation and economic growth are decoupled by adopting waste avoidance, sustainable business practices and full waste management, could lead to a considerable reduction to $108.5 billion per year.

“The findings of this report demonstrate that the world urgently needs to shift to a zero waste approach, while improving waste management to prevent significant pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and negative impacts to human health,” says Zoë Lenkiewicz, UNEP staff member and lead author of the report. 

“Pollution from waste knows no borders, so it is in everyone’s interests to commit to waste prevention and invest in waste management where it is lacking. The solutions are available and ready to be scaled up. What is needed now is strong leadership to set the direction and pace required, and to ensure no one is left behind."