The first ever Global Waste Management Outlook has featured prominently on the opening day of the International Solid Waste Association’s 2015 World Congress in Antwerp on 7 September.

The report - which aims to encourage thinking of waste as a resource, rather than just a mounting problem - was jointly prepared by UNEP's International Environmental Technology Centre and the International Solid Waste Association. It provides a global outlook of challenges, trends and policies in relation to waste prevention, minimisation and management around the world.

Solid waste refers to that from agriculture, demolition and water treatment for example. Inadequate waste management has become a major public health, economic and environmental problem, with 7-10 billion tonnes of urban refuse produced each year and three billion people worldwide lacking access to controlled waste disposal facilities.

The Outlook was officially launched during a press conference and dedicated panel discussion at the opening ceremony of the Antwerp Congress, which was attended by over 1000 waste experts from around the world.

The UNEP Governing Council of February 2013, in its decision GC 27/12 on Chemicals and Waste Management, called on UNEP “to develop a global outlook of challenges, trends and policies in relation to waste prevention, minimization and management, taking into account the materials life cycle”.

For more information please click here
or contact alexa.froger@unep.org