1. The Global Waste Management Outlook 2024 (GWMO 2024), co-published by UNEP and ISWA (International Solid Waste Association), examines global waste management trends and costs.

1. The report ‘Turning rubbish into a resource: Global Waste Management Outlook 2024’ was launched in Feb 2024 during the 6^th UN Environmental Assembly (UNEA-6) at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
2. Published by: UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and International Solid Waste Association (ISWA).
3. It provides an update on global waste generation and the cost of waste and its management with main focus on municipal solid waste.

2. Theme of UNEA-6: "Effective, inclusive and sustainable multilateral actions to tackle the triple planetary crisis: climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste."

Impact of Waste on the Environment

1. Waste pollution is a significant factor in biodiversity loss, posing risks to ecosystem integrity.
2. Land-disposed waste can contaminate freshwater sources with pathogens, heavy metals, and hazardous chemicals, affecting wildlife and human health.
3. Open burning of waste releases Unintentional Persistent Organic Pollutants (UPOS), harmful chemicals that spread through the air and food chain, causing health issues like cancer and infertility.

Key Points from the Report

1. Over 1/3^rd of the world's population, about 2.7 billion people, mainly in the Global South and developing nations, lack access to waste collection services.

• Of these, 2 billion live in rural areas, while 700,000 are in urban areas.

2. Approximately 540 million tonnes of municipal solid waste, representing 27% of the global total, are not collected.

• Sub-Saharan Africa (36%) and Central and South Asia (37%) have particularly low collection rates.

3. Developed and upper-middle-income regions have higher waste collection rates.
4. The report forecasts a significant increase in global waste generation from 2.3 billion tonnes in 2023 to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050.
5. Adopting a circular economy model could not only decrease waste generation but also yield a net gain of $108 billion per year.
6. Fast-growing economies face the largest growth in waste generation, surpassing management capacities.

Pathways to Achieve a Circular Economy

1. Moving towards a circular economy and adopting a zero-waste approach is essential for a safe, affordable, and sustainable future.

2. Key pathways for progress include:

• Using data and digitalization to focus on waste prevention and management.
• Banning problematic materials and enforcing mandatory schemes for polluters to pay.
• Engaging citizens in waste avoidance and segregation through inclusive approaches and behavioural science.
• Incorporating just transition principles into decision-making, valuing the informal sector, and ensuring gender sensitivity.
• Developing national expertise to create policies that suit each country's context and maximize waste reduction benefits.

Recommendations:

1. National governments can enact/bring legislation to promote zero waste business models.
2. Integrated policies and support for municipalities, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
3. Waste reduction commitments can attract climate finance.
4. Municipalities can reduce waste and make waste management affordable by involving informal waste workers and recognizing women's influence.
5. Everyone can contribute by preventing unnecessary waste through reuse, waste segregation, home composting, and supporting zero waste enterprises.

Major Innovative Solutions for Waste Management

1. Recycling Technologies
2. Robotic Waste Sorting
3. Biodegradable Materials
4. Zero Waste Strategies
5. Consumer Education

Waste-to-Energy (WtE)

Waste-to-energy (WtE) include technologies converting non-recyclable waste into usable energy forms like electricity and heat, mainly through direct combustion or gas production.

Government Efforts for Waste Management

Initiative	Description
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Mechanism	EPR makes producers responsible for their products' entire lifecycle, from collection to disposal. Aims to reduce environmental impact by making producers accountable for waste management.
Increased Waste Processing Capacity	Significant growth in waste processing capacity since 2014 across various waste types. Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) has notably contributed to this increase.
Swachh Bharat Mission for Solid Waste Management	Government initiative focusing on achieving "Garbage Free Cities" through door-to-door collection, source segregation, and scientific waste processing. Prioritizes source segregation, reducing single-use plastics, managing construction waste, and remediating legacy waste sites.
Waste Management Rules and Guidelines	Implementation of waste management rules and guidelines under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Covers solid waste, plastic waste, biomedical waste, construction waste, hazardous waste, E-waste, and battery waste. Emphasizes environmentally sound practices for waste management.

 

Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2022 Provision of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Collection Targets Mandates producers to collect 35% of plastic waste by 2024, increasing to 70% by 2025 gradually. Aims for higher collection rates to reduce environmental pollution. Minimum Recycled Content Requires firms to incorporate 10% recycled plastic in packaging by 2023, rising to 20% by 2026. Promotes the growth of recycling industry and decreases virgin plastic production. Collection Mechanism Producers must set up efficient post-consumer waste collection systems to prevent landfilling and pollution. Ensures effective recycling of plastic waste. Cost Attribution Producers are responsible for covering collection and recycling costs. Encourages sustainable practices and discourages non-recyclable material use. Promotes environmental stewardship and reduces plastic pollution.

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