What a Waste 3.0 is the third edition of the World Bank Group’s What a Waste series, following the 2012 and 2018 publications. It updates and expands these earlier publications and provides a global reference dataset on municipal solid waste in the context of a transition toward circularity,...

Plastic pollution poses a critical environmental challenge, driven by excessive consumption and inadequate waste management, particularly in agri-food systems. Mismanaged municipal solid waste contributes to severe ecological degradation as plastics accumulate in terrestrial, aquatic, and...

Large volumes of e-waste collected under formal schemes in high-income countries are still processed informally in developing ones, despite continuous policy efforts to reverse this trend. This paper shows that the persistence of informal e-waste processing is a consequence of how global waste...

This note synthesizes the World Bank’s approach to supporting the Philippines in addressing the plastic waste crisis. As one of the largest contributors to marine plastic pollution globally, the Philippines is estimated to leak more than 0,3 million metric tons of plastic waste into the ocean...

This report provides a high-level overview of the key findings and insights contained in the report, “Waste Management in the Middle East and North Africa”. The report draws on new data from the 19 MENA countries and 26 cities, and analyzes the performance of, and challenges in, solid waste...

The increased usage of electric cars in Indonesia has led to a rise in battery waste. Major problems in battery waste management currently stem from the lack of transparency and leakage in the logistics chain that leads to recycling facilities. The Internet of Things (IoT) technology offers...

Financial volatility increasingly challenges firms to maintain operational sustainability; yet the mechanisms through which cash flow uncertainty (CFU) shapes environmental practices remain unclear. Based on an international unbalanced panel of 14,798 firm-year observations (2010–2021), this...

Securing national regulation(s) on food loss and waste (FLW) is essential for the effective, comprehensive, and unified management and policy implementation of FLW, ensuring standards are consistent countrywide and local initiatives and targets are aligned with national waste reduction goals....

In low resource settings where it is challenging to obtain accurate weight-for-height Z-scores (e.g., equipment to accurately measure height and weight is not readily available, minimally trained community health workers, etc.), the Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) is a simple tool used to...

Waste management is a growing challenge in Nigeria, with major environmental, health, and economic implications for its population. Several factors hinder adequate household waste management practices in Lagos. The infrastructure for waste collection and disposal is lacking, with insufficient...

Plastic pollution is a major challenge in Bangladesh, with annual per capita plastic consumption in urban areas tripling from 2005 to 2020. The increased use of plastics, especially single-use plastics (SUPs), combined with inadequate waste management, has resulted in a large amount of plastic...

Rapid economic development and population growth in Bangladesh have fostered significant advancements and opportunities for its citizens. Alongside these positive changes, however, there has been a notable increase in per capita plastic consumption, leading to a pressing need for effective...

Our study delves into understanding the bottom-up processes within a public service delivery system by studying the last-mile interactions between frontline workers, citizens, and other stakeholders. Specifically, we focus on these aspects in the context of the Solid Waste Management (SWM)...

Background: Despite concerted research efforts, the collection of domestic waste remains poorly understood in terms of financial and environmental cost drivers. Detailed studies of specific systems, yielding limited broader understanding, remain the norm. Methods: This study presents flexible...

Purpose - Egypt has set plans to transform into a green economy which requires major reforms in the waste sector as one of the most vital sectors crucial for this transformation. This study aims at inspecting the current status of the Egyptian waste sector to highlight the major policy reforms...

Background: this research presents an integrated approach to enhancing the sustainability of plastic bag supply chains in Indonesia by addressing critical issues related to ineffective post-consumer waste management and low recycling rates. The objective of this study is to develop a combined...

Diverting waste away from and zero waste to landfills are key sustainability policy aims of local and national governments around the world, particularly in countries with large waste footprints from rapid consumption growth and urbanisation. Segregation at the source of waste generation can...

Food waste represents a serious issue for both the environment and society. Previous research has investigated the antecedents of food waste behavior, focusing on various demographic and psychological factors. While moral norms such as personal concern and responsibility have been studied, their...

The short replacement cycle of smartphones generates substantial electronic waste, with many disused devices stored rather than disposed of responsibly. This study explores factors associated with the willingness to engage in responsible disposal. An online survey of South Korean adults (N =...

Despite growing awareness of the importance of waste prevention in circular economy transitions, substantial volumes of reusable items continue to be discarded. This exploratory case study investigates consumer behavior at a Swedish recycling center, focusing on decisions made at the point of...

The rapid expansion of civil infrastructures has improved the quality of life but has also resulted in a significant increase in industrial solid wastes (ISWs), posing serious sustainability challenges, particularly for waste disposal. To address the challenges, this study investigated the state...

The Swiss-Ghana Amendments to the Basel Convention mark a significant milestone in global e-waste (electronic waste) management, requiring Prior Informed Consent (PIC) for all transboundary movements of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), regardless of their hazard classification....

Waste management remains one of the most pressing global challenges of the 21st century, particularly in rapidly urbanizing areas. Improper handling and disposal of waste, especially hazardous materials, pose serious risks to public health and the environment, exacerbating problems in already...

NIMBY (Not-In-My-Backyard) phenomena are widespread social issues in energy project development that fundamentally stem from public risk perceptions and emotional reactions to sensitive facilities. Emotions are critical factors that shape public cognition and attitudes, playing a pivotal role in...

Waste management and urban wastewater treatment are important sectors in the enlargement process As part of the EU accession process, the Western Balkans - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia - are required to align their legislation and standards...

This evaluation provides a comprehensive and independent assessment of the European Union's (EU) support for two major aspects of the green transition in the Western Balkans: waste management and urban wastewater treatment. It covered all six Western Balkan countries: Albania, Bosnia and...

Background: The global climate crisis has intensified the demand for sustainable solutions, positioning Reverse Logistics (RL) as a critical strategy for minimizing environmental impacts. Simultaneously, Industry 4.0 technologies are transforming RL operations by enhancing their collection,...