Urban
Waste
Management
Promoting minimization in waste generation and highlighting the 3Rs:
From 'waste disposal' to 'resource efficiency'
This theme is part of GDRC's
FEWW Nexus
Effective urban waste management requires a shift from traditional waste disposal towards a more holistic approach that prioritizes waste minimization and resource efficiency. GDRC's Urban Environmental Management programme emphasizes the importance of the 3Rs - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - as a foundation for sustainable waste strategies.
By integrating policy frameworks, multistakeholder initiatives, and baseline data collection, cities can transition towards a circular economy, where waste is treated as a valuable resource. This approach aligns with global environmental agreements and best practices, ensuring that urban areas become more resilient, efficient, and environmentally responsible.
Read GDRC's magazine on Plastic Wastes [via Flipboard]:
Did you know? 8.3 billion metric tonnes of plastic were produced between 1950 and 2015 - that's more than a tonne per person living in the world today!
Do you have any suggestions or additions to make on the above information? Please send an email to Hari Srinivas at hsrinivas@gdrc.org
Explore
further:
Did you know? Though high-income countries only account for 16 percent of the world’s population, they generate about 34 percent, or 683 million tonnes, of the world’s waste. And less than 20% of global waste is recycled each year and rich countries often export recyclables to poorer nations.
Hazardous waste are generated by hospitals, laboratories, and garages, but also by households through the oils. chemicals and other materials that is used daily. 13 tons of hazardous waste is produced every second Ethat’s 400 million tons per year.
About 11 million tonnes of plastic currently enter the ocean every year and this amount will triple in the next 20 years. In response, in 2022, the world moved towards a global agreement to reduce plastic use and its assoicated problems. Countries need a circular, life-cycle approach to plastics as a basis for a new legally binding global agreement.
SDG 12 and SDG 14 aim to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns and reduce the negative impacts of waste on the environment, particularly on oceans and marine resources.
Info-sheets on Waste Management
