Australia generates an estimated 67 million tonnes of waste every year. Reducing the amount of waste going to landfill is a pressing concern for the Australian community, government, industry, and researchers. While 37 million tonnes of waste have been sent for recycling, much of it has been shipped overseas, creating environmental problems for developing nations in Southeast Asia. With countries like China, Malaysia, and India refusing to accept Australia’s recyclables, the country’s recycling system has come to a standstill. Contractors are resorting to stockpiling waste, which has led to fires and other safety hazards.

Waste management is a crucial service for protecting the environment, public health, and creating economic opportunities through jobs and new industries. As Australia’s population grows, so does its waste. To address this issue, we need to find sustainable solutions that recover materials from waste streams, turn them into reusable resources, and reduce the need for landfills.

Incineration is one such solution. In Sweden, where landfill has been largely banned, half of the waste is incinerated. Australia is also set to take up this technology, with a project in Western Australia scheduled for 2020 and two more in the works for Victoria. However, incineration should not be seen as a panacea. Some Australian councils have recently resorted to burying recyclables rather than stockpiling them, but this is also unsustainable and wastes valuable resources. Landfill is not the answer when materials can be repurposed for constructive use.

Estimates can vary greatly depending on a variety of factors, including population growth, economic development, consumption patterns, waste management infrastructure, and government policies.

In 2021, it was estimated that the world generated approximately 2.01 billion metric tons of municipal solid waste per year. According to some projections, this amount could increase to 3.4 billion metric tons by 2050 if current trends continue.

It is important to note that waste estimates are subject to change based on a range of factors and uncertainties, and should be viewed as approximate. Additionally, it is difficult to accurately predict waste generation and management trends beyond the short-term due to the many complex and interrelated factors that influence these processes.

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