The priority is to decrease the amount of waste we generate.
Only then should we will be proud of the high rates for
recycling some countries report (see examples for glass
and paper). Glass [..]
The planet is scattered with hazardous or explosive leftovers from a succession of technical breakthroughs – be they military or industrial – just waiting to be washed away by a flood or mudslide or [..]
Though it is based on wood, a natural renewable resource, the pulp and paper industry is one of the worst sources of pollution. It absorbs more than 40 per cent of all timber felled worldwide. Despite [..]
A growing share of municipal waste contains electronic or
electric products. E-waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams and makes up approximately 4 per cent of municipal waste in the [..]
As garbage piles up, however much space we set aside for landfill, we are beginning to realise that producing waste at this rate is no longer viable. It is time for the three “Rs”: Reduce, Reuse, [..]
According to current forecasts the world’s energy requirements will have risen by more than 50 per cent by 2030. Oil and natural gas will account for more than 60 per cent of the increase. During the [..]
More than three-quarters of nuclear reactors currently in
service are more than 20 years old. After an average service
life of 30 years it takes 20 more years to dismantle them.
The spent fuel [..]
It is impossible to detail all the types of waste directly or indirectly involved in manufacturing mobile phones. In developed countries production processes manage to keep
sensitive materials in a [..]
Industry is the top producer of waste in developed countries. A large proportion of industrial waste is hazardous, because industrial processes often involve chemicals. Cleaner production – reducing [..]
In 2005 household waste output was up by 10 000 tonnes on 2000, rising from 15 000 to 25 000 tonnes for almost the
same population. Nor does this include 20 000 tonnes of business waste [..]
Some countries, for example the Netherlands and Belgium, seem to act as “waste dispatchers”. Their figures suggest that they are the top waste exporters, a fact that reflects neither the waste they [..]
Despite international efforts to halt dumping of illegal waste outrageous incidents occur. Collating relevant data is difficult but there is no doubt about the damage. Toxic waste causes long-term [..]
Statistics from the Paper Task Force show virgin paper (from tree harvesting to the landfill) versus and recycled paper (from collection to recycling again) and their respective environmental impacts [..]
Unscrupulous waste trade became a serious concern in the 1980s due to three converging factors: increasing amounts of hazardous waste; inadequate processing plants; and stricter regulations in the [..]
By the 1980s, the international community launched treaty negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme. In March 1989, they adopted the Basel Convention on the Control [..]
![Major merchandise ports [and likely waste transit points]](/library/files/major_merchandise_ports_and_likely_waste_transit_points_thumbnail.jpg)
