Solid waste management could cost the planet US$ 640.3 billion by 2050

The overall cost of managing the Solid waste Urban waste could reach US$640.3 billion by 2050, including US$443 billion related to the negative impacts of waste, said Carlos Silva Filho, president of the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA).

The ISWA head stressed that it is “urgent” to halt the growth rate of waste generation, because without a change of direction, by 2050 the world could generate 3.8 billion tons of waste per year.

According to the report ‘Global Waste Management Outlook 2024’prepared by ISWA in partnership with the UN, in 2020 the world produced some 2.1 billion tonnes of solid waste.

The negative impacts associated with the lack of control over waste generated expenses of US$ 243.3 billion, according to the report. “If we adopt a circular system that changes this paradigm, instead of a cost, in 2050 we will have an income of almost US$ 110,000 million. The circular model, with the use of waste as a resource, is the model of environmental gain, social gain and financial gain.”Silva Filho said.

Accelerated generation in Latin America

However, for the ISWA president, this is a concept that is still “not in full execution” In Latin America, where the predominant “misperception” that it is cheaper to continue using landfills and not invest in redesigning processes.

“We have accelerated waste generation in Latin America and an inappropriate disposal rate of a 40%higher than the world average”the expert lamented. While the world recycling average is one 19%that of Latin America is of a 6%.

Another challenge, according to the Brazilian, is the lack of a market that can make the massive use of waste as raw material viable and, thus, boost the other links in the chain.

Corporate responsability

Silva Filho stressed that the responsibility for these changes is shared by governments, citizens and the private sector, which in his opinion has “the potential to lead the transformation.”

Companies, he said, need to take responsibility for the impacts of their activities and respond to the demands and needs of society to reduce their resource footprint through more efficient and sustainable business models.

“It is very important that they set internal goals to move forward instead of waiting for a law. All companies that have this vision and this will to make the transition and that can start now, should do so,” he added.

Voluntary change

An example is the Dutch multinational AkzoNobel, which is dedicated to the production of paints and other specialized chemical products. Present in more than 150 countries, the company eliminated waste disposal in landfills in 12 of the 19 locations where it operates in Latin America, and has achieved a 81.9% of circularity of materials in the region.

AkzoNobel also invested some US$2.5 million in an effluent treatment plant that allows the reuse of 100% of water in a factory located in the municipality of Mauá, Brazil.

“We have the ambition to promote the circularity of everything that is currently considered waste, reusing or recycling everything we generate. In addition, on a voluntary basis, we are developing a pilot project in the sector with the Brazilian Association of Paint Producers (Abrafati) to create voluntary drop-off points for containers with leftover paint.”the company detailed.

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