World Bank: 2.6 bn waste in 2022; mismanaged 760 mn
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- World Bank Group released the "What a Waste 3.0" report, finding more than 2.6 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste generated in 2022, projected to reach 3.9 billion tonnes by 2050.
- Mismanaged waste share is expected to drop from about 30 % to 20 % by 2050, but the absolute amount will stay near 760 million tonnes, meaning little change in total mismanaged waste.
- The report compiled data from 217 countries and economies and 262 cities, highlighting that waste‑system improvements are offset by rising waste volumes.
- Low‑income countries would need to spend roughly 0.78 % of their combined GDP in 2022 for universal waste management, yet public spending is under 0.15 % of GDP in three‑quarters of these nations.
- Global waste‑management costs exceeded US$250 billion in 2022 and are projected to rise to US$426 billion by 2050 under a business‑as‑usual scenario.
- Open burning in many developing countries remains a common self‑management practice, releasing harmful pollutants that threaten nearby communities.
- Investment gap means low‑ and lower‑middle‑income countries will need hundreds of billions of dollars over the next 25 years to expand and improve municipal waste systems.
Why it matters: Low‑income and middle‑income nations lose as they spend far less than the 0.78 %–0.46 % of GDP needed for universal waste services, while the world bears rising health, environmental, and economic costs from unchanged mismanaged waste volumes, shifting the burden onto public health and future generations.
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