A slow motion but relentless environmental economic crisis is underway in many countries as vast quantities of natural resources are transformed into industrial and consumer products with short life spans, no clear pathway for reuse or recycling once discarded and a high likelihood of causing environmental harm when sent for disposal. In this talk I examine how in some developing countries the speed of industrialisation and rise of consumption has out-stripped the ability or willingness of authorities to manage the surge in waste that accompanies this break-neck change. I’ll give specific examples and disturbing photographs will highlight the scale of the challenge facing some governments and communities and attention will need to be paid to the aggregate impact on the world’s oceans which often represent the ultimate sink for our unwanted wastes. By looking at the correlation between income and waste production per head the rapid trend to an even more wasteful and unsustainable global economic system can be explored. Realisation of the risks posed by ineffective waste management is now recognised by more governments and all around the world there are examples of increasingly educated communities challenging their governments to act or taking direct constructive action themselves. It is hoped that rising environmental awareness from citizens, the economic imperatives of business and the impact of pressure and local community action groups will cumulatively result in future improvements. The empowerment of populations caused by the spread of modern communications, better access to education and tools such as social media can cumulatively drive the management of wastes on to a more sustainable footing across ever greater areas of the world. We all need to know how we can contribute. I’ll give examples of progress in Derbyshire will be s well as examples of the benefits that can result from often simple changes in consumer choices and behaviour here in the UK. I can’t remember when I haven’t been obsessed with waste. When I was five or six I drew a dump of tea in my art lesson and there has been no looking back since then. I spent many a (not so) pleasurable hour in a past job walking around land fill sites. Consequently, with colleagues, I now run a Recycling Road Show in Derbyshire, an initiative of Derbyshire County Council. I do have a life beyond waste, I really do; this is my waste related biography.

1. International Waste Management -
Crisis And Opportunity.
David Brown

2. A picture of crisis – Lebanon 2009

3. A picture of crisis – Italy 2014

4. A picture of crisis – Bangalore 2012

5. A picture of crisis – Purfleet (Essex) 2015

6. Why the waste crisis?
• Rising population and growing incomes = increased consumption/discard of materials.
• Effective waste management systems often lag the growth.
• Short term denial of costly solutions is an easier option for decision makers.
• Conflict and political chaos.
• Rush for GDP growth often trumps other concerns.
• Often informal and possibly chaotic waste management systems are swamped by
growth.
• Problems can appear slow motion so it is human nature to delay hard decisions.
• Discarded materials and products gradually accumulate in local and then the global
environment but the costs are often externalised.
• Recycling cynicism is quite common even in the UK.

7. Impacts of the crisis.
• Adverse impacts on human health includes increased incidence Diarrhea,
respiratory ailments, Dengue Fever, chemical poisoning, stress.
• Accumulations of waste can block drainage channels and exacerbate flooding.
• Waste makes 4% contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions with landfills
contributing 12% to global methane emissions.
• Loss of valuable land space.
• Unquantified but potentially large effects on marine life and ocean systems.
• Pollution of ground, surface and drinking waters.
• Theft of resources from the future with near term implications.
• Increased economic volatility and wild swings in commodity prices.
• Shameful legacy.

8. Oil prices since 1980

9. Waste growth projections

10. Affluence = waste ?

11. • Waste generation per capita is 4 times higher in OECD countries compared
with African countries.
• Today urban India produces just a little more waste than urban Britain but
has a population almost 6 times as large.
• By 2025 US waste production will still be almost double that of India’s
despite a population of 1 billion less people.
• Rapid growth in China means that country will produce about twice as much
waste as the US by 2025 but still that is 1/3rd less per capita.
• The cost of managing waste globally is predicted at £375.5 billion per annum
by 2025. That is enough to end extreme poverty the world over according to
Oxfam.
• For low and middle income countries solid waste management is the single
largest budget item for cities.
Putting waste in context.

12. Variations in waste management systems.
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Landfill recycled WTE Dump Compost Other
Disposal methods of worldwide MSW in
millions of tonnes
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
OECD MENA Lac ECA EAP SAR AFR
Waste Collection Rates By Region % of
MSW collected

13. Why your decisions matter so much
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
High Income Upper Middle Lower
Middle
Low Income
MSW Disposal by income total
Dumps Landfills compost recycled incineration other
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
High Income Upper Middle Lower Middle Low Income
MSW Disposal by Income % breakdown
Dumps Landfills Compost Recycled Incineration Other

14. Waste management system characteristics.
• OECD countries recycle more of
much.
• Lowest income countries
recycling very little of hardly
anything.
• Many more countries are now
moving toward western levels of
waste production but without
proper waste management
systems.
• Small numbers of countries may
make a perfect transition.
OECD type have
consumed the
most now
recycling more
Middle Income
Now consuming
more, wasting
more and racing
to catch up
economically
War Torn
Countries in or
emerging from
waste crisis
Lowest Income
Still consuming
virtually nothing
per head

15. Waste management opportunities.
• Improvement to waste management systems normally brings improvements to
human well-being, employment conditions, environmental protection, wider cost
reductions and higher incomes.
• The world market for recyclable waste is estimated at $410 billion.
• Preventing food waste could save the UK £12 billion a year and $750 billion per
annum globally.
• In the US, 1.1 million people are employed in re-use or recycling establishments
earning higher than average wages.
• Producing aluminum from recycled aluminum results in a 95% energy saving and
recycling just 1 can saves enough energy to run a TV for 3 hours.
• In the US, 1.1 million people are employed in re-use or recycling establishments and
are earning higher than average wages.
• Home composting saves Derbyshire tax payers at least £250,000 per year and
recycling saves the county well over £ 8 million a year compared with landfill.

16. Reasons to be cheerful– 1,2,3
1 Pune India
Pre-2008 an over-stretched municipal
and dangerous informal system was
challenged by the waste pickers who
organised to form a cooperative.
Now has better recycling rates, worker
incomes and environmental conditions.
Triumph of determined community
action and key individuals.

17. 2 Alaminos - Philippines
Pre-2010 widespread fly- tipping and
burning in the countryside threatening
the marine environment and tourism.
Now – NGO in partnership with village
leaders creates small-scale composting
and introduced separate collections of
organic wastes. Amazing community
engagement achieved and businesses
and tourist facilities participating.
Plastics recycled to improve paved areas
and waste workshops well attended.

18. 3 Taiwan
Late 1980s planning for waste crisis as
landfill space ran out and massive
programme of incineration proposed.
Faced fierce community opposition.
Situation deteriorated until 2003 when a
Zero Waste policy adopted.
Now miraculous disconnection of GDP
growth from waste. GDP rose 50%
between 2000 and 2010 but total waste
fell from 8.7 million to 7.95 million
tonnes. A 12.8% per capita fall.

20. Think about it !
Could the
wires on his
head be
recovered into
the chain of
commercial
utility?
The success of
future waste
management
systems will rely
primarily on the
trillions of
individual
decisions and
actions.

21. Tactically nudge/talk about it.
The power
of inertia is
enormous
there are
many
people who
should
know better
that don’t
recycle.
Emphasise
relevance to
them.
Choose
your
tactics.
In the
UK a big
barrier
is the
belief
that
recycling
is not
recycled.

22. Take action – but how?

23. Favourable tailwinds
• Widespread corporate and business action to minimise costs and respond to
stakeholder and customer pressure or gain market share.
• The rise of community awareness and action groups.
• Requirements of legislation such as EU Directives driving producer
responsibility on a wide variety of waste streams.
• Rise of voluntary agreements such as the Courtald Commitment.
• Pressure to gain accreditation such as ISO systems.
• Customer expectation and enquiry can and is driving change – arguably too
slow though.
• Great waste minimisation examples are set others following.
• UK waste arisings in 2004 were 526 million tonnes. In 2010 -177 million
tonnes.

24. Conclusion
The world is at a turning point and in the right lane – just !

25. Thanks For Listening