What a Waste 3.0: Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management toward Circularity until 2050

The world is at a critical juncture in managing its mounting volumes of waste. Rapid population growth, accelerating urbanization, rising incomes, and increased consumption are driving a surge in municipal solid waste generation that is outpacing the capacity of local systems and municipal budgets. Cities and communities worldwide are struggling to keep up.

Within this crisis lies an opportunity. By investing in more efficient, inclusive, and sustainable waste management systems, countries can unlock new avenues for economic growth, job creation, and innovation. Improved waste management systems can transform waste from a burden into a driver of sustainable development, unlocking jobs and benefiting both local communities and the global environment.

To fully grasp the scale and urgency of today’s challenges, as well as the opportunities they present, the World Bank Group's What a Waste 3.0 report offers the most up-to date data and statistical analytics on global solid waste management. Drawing on the most recent publicly accessible data from 217 countries and economies and 262 cities, it provides a framework for understanding how different policy choices and levels of ambition could shape the future of global waste.