This statistic is not included in your account. In the United States, for example, some states will even pay you to recycle. Generation of waste in kilograms per capita. Similarly, Canadians are disposing of less waste over time10 percent less on a per-capita basis and 29 percent less per unit of GDP in 2018 compared to 2002. In Mozambique, around 17 kt of plastic waste is leaking into rivers and the ocean. Black carbon, which is a component of PM2.5, is also reported. We summed for each country the metric tons (or tonnes) of waste in the latest year for which data was available in the special categories of agricultural waste, construction and demolition, e waste, hazardous waste, industrial waste, medical waste, and the total municipal solid waste (msw). 16F0023X, 8. Note: For 2018, electronic and tire waste was assigned to the "unknown sources" category since it could not be attributed to either residential or non-residential sources.Source: Statistics Canada (2018) Table 38100033-01. For the 2018 results, Statistics Canada did not provide residential source and non-residential source totals because electronic and tire source data were unavailable. Statistics Canada (2021) Solid waste and hazardous substances. The United States and Canada were two of the highest per capita generators of municipal solid waste in the world, throwing out about 2.58 kilograms and 2.33 kilograms per day,. Facebook: quarterly number of MAU (monthly active users) worldwide 2008-2022, Quarterly smartphone market share worldwide by vendor 2009-2022, Number of apps available in leading app stores Q3 2022, Profit from additional features with an Employee Account. Solid waste diversion and disposal, Canada, 2002 to 2018. Disposal of waste, by source. In 2018, organic materials represented 29% of all diverted material, second only to paper at 36%. "We need to see richer countries helping poorer countries. Turner DA, Williams ID and Kemp S (2015) Greenhouse gas emission factors for recycling of source-segregated waste materials. 6 Statistics Canada, Human Activity and the Environment, Annual Statistics 2005, Solid Waste in Canada (Ottawa: Minister of Industry, 2005), 7. However, when we account for population and economic activity, Canadians are generating less waste over time2 percent less on a per-capita basis and 23 percent less per unit of GDP in 2018 compared to 2002. Meat products make up for 61 per cent of the average Canadian's food carbon footprint of 2,270 kg of COe per year. The indicator excludes material that bypasses the waste management stream captured by the surveys. Paper fibres and organic materials make up the largest proportion of household material that is recycled and composted in Canada.4, Within each province, individual municipalities are responsible for waste management programs. Between 2002 and 2018, Nova Scotia had the largest increase in solid waste diversion, rising from 33% to 45%. For a country known for its cleanliness, number one might surprise you. Currently, you are using a shared account. What the new UN report warning of climate impacts means for Canadians, UN sounds alarm on 'irreversible' climate impacts, but offers hope, How many climate disasters will today's children face? All rights reserved. Denmark (2020) 850.6. Luxembourg is among the most tourism-friendly countries in the world. For the average Canadian, it's more than double that, at 5,000 kg COe. Provincial and territorial authorities establish waste reduction policies and programs, approve and monitor waste management facilities and operations. Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites. Total waste generation In 2020, the total waste generated in the EUby all economic activities and households amounted to 2 153 million tonnes or 4 813 kg per capita. Interactive visualization requires JavaScript. Landfilling is still the most common way to dispose of waste in Canada. In 1995, for example, the average amount of municipal waste generated by the 17 countries ranked by the Conference Board was 536 kg per capita. Solid waste diversion and disposal per person, Canada, 2002 to 2018. The good news is that we are actually starting to develop plans to achieve these reductions.". The great recycling myth Press secretary Joanna Sivasankaran said that, whileCanada is responsible for less than two per cent of the total global greenhouse gas emissions, it's true the country is one of the highest per-capita emitters in the world. #maincol h1{width:340px; !important;} Solid waste diversion rate from all sources by jurisdiction, Canada, 2002 and 2018. In 2018, solid waste diversion rates varied across Canada from 10% in Newfoundland and Labrador to 51% in Prince Edward Island. A society that meets its needs while producing less waste is more resource efficient, with lower environmental risks from waste management. This is largely due to the more than 172 million metric tons of waste produced by the construction industry, the fifth highest amount of the 68 countries for which construction and demolition waste data is available. "The bad news is that we have a very poor record in Canada. In 2018, residential sources were responsible for 53% of diverted solid wasteFootnote 3 and 42% of disposed solid waste. "Daily Municipal Solid Waste Generation per Capita Worldwide in 2018, by Select Country (in Kilograms). The average person in Canada produces an equivalent of 14.2 tonnes of CO2 as of 2019, according to the findings. For each substance, data are provided at the national, provincial/territorial and facility level and by source. For example, San Francisco passed an ordinance in 2009 requiring all residents and tourists to compost food waste. While several factors can influence MSWgeneration (including differences in definitions and measurement among countries), economic activity, particularly the level of private final consumption . In 2008, Canada generated 777 kg per capita of municipal wastewell above the 17-country average of 578 kg per capita and twice as much as Japan, the top-performing country. Statistics Canada (2021) North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Canada 2017 Version 3.0. 7 David R. Boyd, Canada vs. the OECD: An Environment Comparison, 2001 (accessed August 19, 2008). Statistics Canada (2021) Table 38-10-0138-01. This is an increase from the 268.7 million tons generated in 2017 and the 208.3 million tons in 1990. The waste diversion rate by source (residential and non-residential) and the types of materials diverted are also reported. Our World In Data is a project of the Global Change Data Lab, a registered charity in England and Wales (Charity Number 1186433). 3 Statistics Canada, Waste Management Industry Survey: Business and Government Sectors 2008 (Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 2010), Catalogue no. The diversion rate is the percentage of waste diverted relative to the total waste disposed and diverted as reported to the 2waste surveys. Archived - Materials diverted, by source, inactive. Canada produced 1.33 billion metric tonnes of waste, or 36.1 tonnes per person. For each substance, data are provided at the national, provincial/territorial and facility level and by source. Estimated annual waste per capita: 16.2 metric tons, Estimated annual waste total: 163,199,471 metric tons. Waste materials diverted, by type and by source. For information on how some cities are adopting the concept of industrial ecology to reduce waste, see: Environmentally Sound Growth in chapter 4 of Mission Possible: Successful Canadian Cities. Recycling, which has significantly increased in Canada, generally has less impact on the environment than manufacturing new materials into usable products. Municipalities are consequently faced with finding a viable and sustainable location for waste disposal. Lack of financing has been identified as a major reason for the lack of initiatives in the field. Youll receive a password reset link on this email address. Help us do this work by making a donation. On balance, the fact that Canada partially decoupled solid waste generation and disposal from economic growth is good news for the environment. ul.nestedList li{width:340px; !important;} Canadians' love for meat anddairy were found to be significant contributors to carbon footprints, partly due to the popularity ofcheese and beef, which are carbon-intensive foods. "If one must use a car, then an electric car in Iceland might make sense, where 100 per cent of electricity comes from renewables, but not in India where electricity is primarily generated from coal.". In the remaining provinces, more waste was diverted from residential sources than non-residential sources. Due to population growth and urban areas growth, the amount of trash countries produce is only expected to rise by some estimates as much as 70% between 2016 and 2050. While the U.S. is the third biggest producer of waste on a per capita basis, some areas within the country are making strides addressing the problem. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY. In other OECD counties where urbanization and disposable household income are also high, however, municipal waste generated per capita is substantially lower than in Canada. The fact that Canadas waste generation rate grew more slowly than its GDP from 2002 to 2018 suggests that Canada has partially decoupled waste generation from economic growth. Canadians are among the world's worst carbon emitters. Statistics Canada (2020) Table 38-10-0032-01. The world is drowning in trash, and the waste generation rates are only increasing, according to the World Bank. Statistics Canada. 2023 Fraser Institute. Statistics Canada (2020) Table 38-10-0032-01. Bulgaria, a country of about 7 million people, generates slightly more garbage per person as the United States, a country of more than 325 million people. It also ranks among the countries producing the least amount of agricultural and construction waste. The following reports compile information on the composition and quantity of Canadian municipal solid waste. If Canada is going to play its part, he said, the country will need to cut per-capita carbon emissions by 82 per cent in the next decade,and by 95 per cent by 2050. "We're moving in the opposite direction and that's probably our biggest gap right now. Overview and forecasts on trending topics, Industry and market insights and forecasts, Key figures and rankings about companies and products, Consumer and brand insights and preferences in various industries, Detailed information about political and social topics, All key figures about countries and regions, Market forecast and expert KPIs for 600+ segments in 150+ countries, Insights on consumer attitudes and behavior worldwide, Business information on 70m+ public and private companies, Detailed information for 35,000+ online stores and marketplaces. .nestedList{padding-left: 28px; margin-bottom: 8px;}, @media (max-width: 899px){ Some state now will even pay residents to recycle. If we want to get serious about tackling food waste, we need to increase efforts to measure food and inedible parts wasted at retail and consumer level and track food waste generation in kilograms per capita at country level. WATCH|Canadians among world's worst carbon emitters, report finds, (Australia and the United States, which are also amongthe world's highestper-capita emitters,were not included in the report.). The federal government controls the international and interprovincial movement of hazardous recyclables and waste, as well as identifies approaches and best practices to reduce pollutant releases and greenhouse gas emissions from the waste management sector. As a Premium user you get access to background information and details about the release of this statistic. It covers waste from households, including bulky waste, similar waste from commerce and trade, office buildings, institutions and small businesses, as well as yard and garden waste, street sweepings, the contents of litter containers, and market cleansing waste if managed as household waste. What are the most common items of waste found in rivers and oceans? Note: TER = Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Why do Canadians generate so much municipal waste? Using data collected by municipalities and provinces, the report provides a snapshot of what kinds of materials are in the waste sent to landfills in Canada. Increases in municipal waste generation are related to rates of urbanization, types and patterns of consumption, household revenue, and lifestyles. (August 3, 2018). The city turned more than a million tonnes of food waste into compost, and as of 2012 had achieved nearly 80% waste diversion the highest rate of any major U.S. city in the United States. As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic. Disposal of waste, by source. This includes materials not processed in a material recycling facility, such as material recycled directly by retailers, or the reuse of bottles handled through a bottle-return program. Waste generation The Seventh Environment Action Programme (7th EAP) states that, by 2020, absolute and per capita waste generation should be in decline. The Aspirational Canada-wide Waste Reduction Goal and the Canada-wide Strategy on Zero Plastic Waste are examples of Canada's commitment to reduce the amount of municipal solid waste sent to landfill. But only a small fraction of that about 2.6% is municipal solid waste, while about 93% of the garbage is construction and demolition waste. The territories (Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut), Ontario, Alberta, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and Manitoba diverted between 237kg per person and 164kg per person. Waste materials diverted, by type and by source, Table 17-10-0005-01. Solid waste diversion rate by source, Canada, 2002 to 2018. The Releases of harmful substances to water indicators track human-related releases to water of 3toxic substances, namely mercury, lead and cadmium, and their compounds. Most of the other 26 million metric tons of waste in Ukraine is municipal solid waste and agricultural waste, which includes garbage produced in farms, poultry and slaughterhouses, harvest waste, fertilizer run-off from fields, and pesticides. The construction industry in Luxembourg has fared better than many other EU countries since the recession because of its overall strong economy. Statistics Canada (2021) Table 38-10-0138-01. Ontario, the territories (Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut) and New Brunswick each diverted around 25% of solid waste, while Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Quebec diverted more than 30% of solid waste. Please consult our full legal disclaimer. Canada produces the most waste in the world. ul.nestedList{padding-left:5px !important;} It provides an overview of the waste system and the policies and programs in place in provinces and territories to manage Canadas waste. Canadas per capita income and average household disposable income have been steadily increasing since the 1980s, leading to increasing household consumption rates. Note: Othermaterials may include electronics, tires, gable top and aseptic containers, textiles and other unclassified materials.Source:Statistics Canada (2018) Table 38-10-0034-01. The other 90.0% of the garbage was mostly construction and demolition waste. In addition, the indicators contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030Agenda for Sustainable Development. Use Ask Statista Research Service, Per capita household food waste of selected countries worldwide 2020, Largest waste producing countries worldwide per capita 2019, Global municipal waste generation 2020, by select country, To download this statistic in XLS format you need a Statista Account, To download this statistic in PNG format you need a Statista Account, To download this statistic in PDF format you need a Statista Account. Clicking on the following button will update the content below. This study examines the state and evolution of the generation and management of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)more commonly known as trash or garbagein Canada over the past two decades, using official data and government reports. Per capita generation of municipal waste worldwide as of 2020, by select country (in kilograms) Characteristic. New Brunswick saw the greatest increase in per-person waste generation and disposal (20 percent and 19 percent respectively), going from 726 kg of solid waste generated per person and 552 kg of solid waste disposed per person in 2002 to 872 kilograms of waste generated and 659 kg of waste disposed in 2018. The most recent surveys were conducted in 2018 and the results were released in 2020 and 2021. Accessed May 01, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/689809/per-capital-msw-generation-by-country-worldwide/, Visual Capitalist. In, Visual Capitalist. body {background-color: #d3d3a6 !important;} Permits are being issued in record numbers. Discover the leading research topics that are shaping Canada, and driving change across the nation. Peter Munk Centre for Free Enterprise Education. Overall, as Canada's population and economy grew between 2002 and 2018, so did total waste generation. New Brunswick and Quebec diverted almost 25% of solid waste, while Nova Scotia and British Columbia diverted more than 30% of solid waste. 1) Based on the latest statistics data for Canada the total per capita waste generation in Ontario in 2008 was 962.2 kg/p/yr out of which 217.4 kg/p/yr was diverted.