Emissions from trash-burning incinerators often include heavy metals and mercury, a neurotoxin that impairs brain function, as well as cancer-causing pollutants, such as dioxin - one of the most toxic substances known to humanity. On top of contaminating our water, our wasteful habits also contribute to dangerous air pollution. Every 15.5 hours, Americans throw out enough plastic to fill the largest NFL stadium in the country, AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.ДЄlthough only used for a few minutes before being discarded, this plastic persists in our natural environment for hundreds of years and can kill marine animals by entangling them, poisoning them or blocking their digestive tracts. What a Waste 2.0 was funded by the government of Japan through the World BankвЂ™s Tokyo Development Learning Center (TDLC).Our countryвЂ™s system of consumption and disposal is polluting our environment, threatening the health of our wildlife and wreaking havoc on our planet.ДЄn estimated 16.5 million tons of plastic washes into the worldвЂ™s oceans every year. Since 2000, the World Bank has committed over $4.7 billion to more than 340 solid waste management programs in countries across the globe. Reducing food waste through consumer education, organics management, and coordinated food waste management programs.Supporting major waste producing countries to reduce consumption of plastics and marine litter through comprehensive waste reduction and recycling programs.Providing financing to countries most in need, especially the fastest growing countries, to develop state-of-the-art waste management systems.Supporting countries to make critical solid waste management financing, policy, and planning decisions is key.

Solutions exist and we can help countries get there.вЂќ The cost of addressing these impacts is many times higher than the cost of developing and operating simple, adequate waste management systems. вЂњUncollected waste and poorly disposed waste have significant health and environmental impacts. вЂњIt makes economic sense to properly manage waste,вЂќ said Silpa Kaza, World Bank Urban Development Specialist and lead author of the report. 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. 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. Our resources need to be used and then reused continuously so that they donвЂ™t end up in landfills.вЂќ вЂњUnfortunately, it is often the poorest in society who are adversely impacted by inadequate waste management. вЂњMismanagement of waste is harming human health and local environments while adding to the climate challenge,вЂќ said Laura Tuck, Vice President for Sustainable Development, World Bank. 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.Д«ased 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 вЂ“ representing about 5 percent of global emissions. 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. If not collected and managed properly, they will contaminate and affect waterways and ecosystems for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. 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. The East Asia and Pacific region is responsible for generating close to a quarter (23 percent) of all waste.

WASHINGTON, September 20, 2018-, according to the World BankвЂ™s new What a Waste 2.0: A Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management to 2050 report.Дriven by rapid urbanization and growing populations,, the report finds.ДЄlthough they only account for 16 percent of the worldвЂ™s population, high-income countries combined are generating more than one-third (34 percent) of the worldвЂ™s waste.

Trash compared to better trash