About this Discussion

Every year, an estimated 11.2 billion tonnes of solid waste is collected worldwide and decay of the organic proportion of solid waste contributes about 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Poor waste management – ranging from non-existing collection systems to ineffective disposal – causes air pollution, water and soil contamination. Open and unsanitary landfills lead to contamination of drinking water and can cause infection and transmit diseases. 

The way a country manages its solid waste has significant long-term implications for public health, the economy and the environment. Therefore, it is essential to promote an environmentally sound solid waste treatment and disposal programme. Investing in greening the waste sector can generate multiple economic and environmental benefits. 

Greening the waste sector primarily involves the three “R’s” – reduce, reuse and recycle – with the long-term vision being to establish a circular economy in which the use of materials and subsequent waste is limited, most unavoidable waste is recycled or remanufactured, and any remaining waste is treated so as to minimize environmental damage or even create additional value through recovering energy embedded in material or products.

Waste Management

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UNEP latest report finds that plastic pollution disproportionately affects marginalized communities and those living in close proximity to plastic production and waste sites, beyond inefficient or even sometimes non-existing waste management systems.

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https://www.unep.org/resources/report/neglected-environmental-justice-impacts-marine-litter-and-plas...
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Created a Post in Waste Management

The CMaR collaborative shows how an experiment with celebrity endorsement could influence behavior and reduce plastic pollution. Very encouraging results!

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https://youtu.be/7cSR9OFBD2c
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Created a Post in Waste Management

Plastic pollution in the ocean is a severe problem for Chile. César Salazar, Associate Professor at Universidad del Bio-Bio, Chile, and a senior researcher at EfD Chile explains why and what can be done to tackle this.

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https://efdinitiative.org/story/how-educating-kids-may-help-turn-tide-ocean-plastics
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Created a Post in Waste Management

Identifying the sources of non-point source pollution: Research progress and emerging challenges – A review

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http://www.scirea.org/journal/PaperInformation?PaperID=1249
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Created a Post in Waste Management

Improved region-specific emission factors for enteric methane emissions from cattle in smallholder mixed crop-livestock systems of Nandi County, Kenya

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doi: doi.org/10.1071/AN17809
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Created a Post in Waste Management

Greenhouse gas emissions from dairy manure management: A review of field-based studies

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10.1111/gcb.12687
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Created a Post in Waste Management

Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from cattle excreta on an East African Grassland

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https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2016.02.0050
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Created a Post in Waste Management

Effect of feeding practices and manure quality on CH4 and N2O emissions from uncovered cattle manure heaps in Kenya

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https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956053X21001495
UN Habitat

UN-Habitat’s Waste Wise Cities together with the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy invites you to our next Waste Technology Deep Dive Webinar! Read More

United Nations, International Food Policy Research Institute(IFPRI), Embassy of Denmark in Washington D.C., World Resources Institute(WRI), Champions 12.3

The ongoing COVID-19 health crisis continues to expose vulnerabilities in food systems, highlighting the insecurity of rural livelihoods, the tragedy of food loss and waste, and the stark inequities in access to healthy food. The upcoming, first-ever UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), presents a… Read More