Ask EarthTrends: Does EarthTrends provide information on different types of waste, waste generation, and/or waste disposal?

Submitted by admin on Fri, 2005-12-02 05:00

At present, the answer is no. Data on waste are notoriously difficult to find, especially because there are frequently separate statistics dealing with municipal waste, industrial waste, and hazardous waste. In most instances (see exceptions noted below), to find information on this topic you will probably need to look at statistical compilations (if available) for individual countries; these estimates are most likely found on a country's government home page.

For industrialized nations, the best resource is probably the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) "Waste" website. Here you will find a substantial amount of information on waste generation and management for the 30 OECD member countries. Included among this information is an interactive database on transboundary waste movement (select "Queries"), which contains information regarding waste authorities, facilities, and requirements and regulations for each member country. From the waste homepage you can also navigate to publications, country-specific case studies, and a list of relevant sites dealing with waste statistics and information for individual OECD countries (available here).

Additionally, if you are searching for information about waste generation and management protocols in the United States, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) "Wastes" website has an abundance of resources and information.