Data Insight: Most collected waste in many low- and middle-income countries is stored in open dumps or is burned

Note to reader: This is a short data-insight newsletter rather than a long-form article. The analysis below reflects the full scope of available content; some sections are intentionally brief due to source limitations.

---

1. Key Themes

Waste Collection Gaps Are Severe in Developing Economies

In many low- and middle-income countries, the waste management problem begins even before disposal — collection itself is failing.

"In some of them, less than half of the waste (from households, shops, and other sources) is collected by management services at all."

Even Collected Waste Is Largely Mismanaged

Collection alone does not solve the problem. The majority of waste that is picked up still ends up in environmentally harmful disposal methods.

"In many countries, even when waste is collected, most of it — sometimes over 80% — is taken to open dumps or is openly burned."

Open Dumping and Burning Create Compounding Pollution Harms

The two dominant disposal methods each carry distinct environmental and public health consequences.

"Both methods cause pollution, either through waste leaking from open dumps or toxic air pollution generated when plastics and other materials are burned."

Waste Management Investment Is a Proven, Solvable Problem

The article frames the crisis not as intractable but as a clear infrastructure investment opportunity with demonstrated results elsewhere.

"Countries that invest in waste management can do so effectively, so that very little waste pollutes the environment, and the air is far cleaner."

---

2. Contrarian Perspectives

Plastic Pollution Is Primarily a Waste Infrastructure Problem, Not a Consumer Behavior Problem

The dominant public narrative around plastic pollution focuses on individual consumption reduction. This article implicitly challenges that framing by pointing to basic waste infrastructure as the root lever.

"Read our article on why addressing this problem — increasing basic waste management — is key to tackling plastic pollution."

This suggests that recycling campaigns or consumption taxes in high-income countries may be lower-impact interventions compared to funding basic collection and sanitary disposal in low- and middle-income countries.

---

3. Companies Identified

No specific companies are mentioned in this article.

---

4. People Identified

Hannah Ritchie

• Description: Researcher and author at Our World in Data
• Why mentioned: Credited as the author of this data insight
• Quote: Article byline — "By Hannah Ritchie"

---

5. Operating Insights

Waste Infrastructure Is an Emerging Market Infrastructure Play

For investors and operators in emerging markets, waste management represents a category where the baseline is extremely low and the improvement curve is steep. The data implies significant room for both impact and return.

"While these numbers show that huge amounts of the world's waste are mismanaged, they also tell a story of opportunity."

---

6. Overlooked Insights

Air Quality Is a Hidden Co-Benefit of Waste Investment

The article briefly notes that proper waste management leads to "far cleaner" air — linking waste infrastructure directly to public health outcomes beyond just land and water pollution. This connection is underappreciated and could open additional funding pathways (e.g., global health, climate health, or carbon credit frameworks) for waste infrastructure projects.

"Countries that invest in waste management can do so effectively, so that very little waste pollutes the environment, and the air is far cleaner."