How Do Countries Dispose of Their Household Waste?
By 2050, the global population is expected to rise significantly, especially in developing nations struggling with waste disposal. As a result, the annual volume of discarded items will increase by over 80%, reaching 3.8 billion metric tons.
Now, policymakers are grappling with the pressing question of how to manage the growing volume of waste.
For this graphic, Visual Capitalist has partnered with Lloyd’s Register Foundation to explore the results of their latest survey, the World Risk Poll. The poll asked 147,000 people from 142 countries how they dispose of their household waste.
What Happens to Household Waste When It Leaves the Home?
The survey asked, “What Happens to Household Waste Once Taken Outside the Home?” with the below table showing the most common household waste disposal method amongst the 142 countries surveyed:
Primary Waste Disposal MethodNumber of Nations
Government-Run Collection96
Open Burned27
Taken to Dump15
Thrown Outside3
Collected Privately1
Total142
The most common waste disposal method reported is some form of government-run collection and disposal, often involving a public organization taking waste to a landfill or processing it. People from 97 countries reported this as their most common waste collection method.
However, the most common household waste disposal method in 27 countries was open burning. Occurring primarily in developing nations, particularly in Africa, burning waste has a host of environmental and health concerns that go along with it.
When garbage is burned openly, harmful dioxins and furans are released. Scientists have linked these to various diseases, including cancer, and they are also highly damaging to plant and animal life.
The Importance of Waste Management
As the global population swells, particularly in developing nations, policymakers must address the harmful waste practices that are still common in many countries. These waste practices present a danger not only to human life but to the environment as a whole.
The World Risk Poll explores waste practices and offers unique insight into people’s financial security, workplace safety, sentiment toward climate change, and much more.
Get more data-driven insights from the new World Risk Poll 2024 report
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