Study finds the U.S. to be world’s biggest producer of waste

A recent study conducted by a consulting firm named VeriskMaplecroft has revealed that the United States is the world’s highest producer of waste. The study considered 194 countries and concluded that approximately 2.1 billion metric tons of waste is generated each year out of which only about 16% gets recycled. The United States, with a population of a little over 320 million, produced over 1700 pounds of waste per capita. This adds up to 12% of the global waste generated by a country that contains only about 4% of the population.

Furthermore, the study also found out that India and China, being the world’s most populous countries together generate about 27% of the global waste. This is especially interesting especially in light of the fact that the two countries account for a whopping 36% of the world’s population. Waste generation is one of the major causes for climate change and several subject matter experts have called for strict legislation to impose waste management and safe disposal measures on corporations as well as individuals. One of the best ways to go about this is to carry out efficient recycling measures.

Germany was found to be one of the leading countries to recycle its waste, recycling nearly 68% of its waste. The lack of waste management and recycling measures is largely blamed on the absence of significant political will and investment and innovation in the industry.

Waste management is touted to be a great way to combat climate change and generate hundreds of thousands of jobs.