Leaving no one behind

When properly supported and organized, informal recycling can create

employment, improve local industrial competitiveness, reduce poverty, and
reduce municipal spending. But the reality for more than 15 million informal
waste pickers in the world – typically women, children, the elderly, the
unemployed, or migrants – remains one with unhealthy conditions, a lack of
social security or health insurance, and persisting social stigma.

According to What a Waste 2.0, successful interventions to improve waste

pickers’ livelihoods include formalizing and integrating waste pickers into
the economy, strengthening the recycling value chain, and consideration of
alternative employment opportunities.

In the West Bank, for example, World Bank loans have supported the
construction of three landfill sites that serve over two million residents,
enabled dump closure, developed sustainable livelihood programs for
waste pickers, and linked payments to better service delivery through
results-based financing.

A focus on data, planning, and integrated

waste management
Understanding how much and where waste is generated – as well as the
types of waste being generated – allows local governments to realistically
allocate budget and land, assess relevant technologies, and consider
strategic partners for service provision, such as the private sector or non-
governmental organizations.

With a focus on waste data, supporting countries to make critical solid

waste management financing, policy, and planning decisions is
key. Solutions include:
 Providing financing to countries most in need, especially the fastest
growing countries, to develop state-of-the-art waste management
systems. 

 Supporting major waste producing countries to reduce consumption

of plastics and marine litter through comprehensive waste reduction and
recycling programs. 

 Reducing food waste through consumer education, organics

management, and coordinated food waste management programs.

No time to waste
In an era of rapid urbanization and population growth, solid waste
management is critical for sustainable, healthy, and inclusive cities and
communities. If no action is taken, the world will be on a dangerous path to
more waste and overwhelming pollution. Lives, livelihoods, and the
environment would pay an even higher price than they are today.

Many solutions already exist to reverse that trend. What is needed is urgent
action at all levels of society.

The time for action is now.

Click here to access the full dataset and download the report What a

Waste 2.0: A Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management to 2050.

What a Waste 2.0 was funded by the government of Japan through the
World Bank’s Tokyo Development Learning Center (TDLC).