Tonnes of Waste Dumped This Year
CURRENT TOTAL
Live Counter Notable Facts
(Data shown in the table is for 2025. Counter shows current estimate)
Annual Waste Dumped
Per Second Rate
Environmental Impact
Understanding Tonnes of Waste Dumped This Year
This counter tracks the total amount of waste being dumped globally through landfilling and open dumping. Every second, approximately 46.6 tonnes of waste are disposed of in dumps and landfills worldwide, representing about 70% of all waste generated.
Of the 2.1 billion tonnes of waste produced annually, 37% goes to some form of landfill (only 8% with proper gas collection systems), while 33% is simply dumped in open sites or burned without any environmental controls. This represents a massive environmental and health crisis.
The practice of dumping waste, particularly in open sites common in developing countries, releases methane (a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than CO2), contaminates groundwater, creates breeding grounds for disease vectors, and destroys local ecosystems.
Global Waste Dumping Crisis Overview
- Waste dumping remains the dominant disposal method globally due to its low immediate cost, despite enormous long-term environmental and health consequences. In low-income countries, 93% of waste is dumped, compared to just 2% in high-income nations.
- Open dumping and uncontrolled landfills are responsible for approximately 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions through methane release and burning. This contribution is expected to increase to 2.38 billion tonnes of CO2-equivalent by 2050 without intervention.
- The health impacts of waste dumps are severe, with residents near dump sites experiencing twice the rate of diarrhea and six times higher acute respiratory infections. Waste pickers, including millions of children, work in hazardous conditions without protection.
- The economic cost of dumping extends far beyond disposal fees. When accounting for pollution, health impacts, and environmental degradation, the true cost rises from $252 billion to $361 billion annually, expected to reach $640 billion by 2050.
Waste Disposal Terminology
- Sanitary Landfill: Engineered disposal site with liners, leachate collection, and gas recovery systems to minimize environmental impact
- Open Dump: Uncontrolled disposal area without environmental protections where waste is simply piled or spread
- Leachate: Toxic liquid formed when water filters through waste, carrying dissolved contaminants into soil and groundwater
- Methane Emissions: Greenhouse gas produced by decomposing organic waste in oxygen-poor conditions typical of dumps
Global Dumping Statistics
- Landfilled (with controls): 17% of global waste
- Landfilled (minimal controls): 20% of global waste
- Open Dumped: 33% of global waste
- Properly Managed: Only 30% of global waste
- Waste Mismanaged: 1 billion tonnes annually
- Population Affected: 2 billion lack proper waste services
Regional Dumping Practices
- Sub-Saharan Africa: 69% openly dumped
- South Asia: 75% dumped or burned
- Middle East & N. Africa: 52.7% openly dumped
- Latin America: 40% inadequately disposed
- East Asia & Pacific: 46% goes to dumps
- Europe & Central Asia: 25% landfilled with controls
Environmental Consequences
- Methane Emissions: 1.6 billion tonnes CO2-equivalent
- Groundwater Contamination: 40% of sites leak
- Land Degradation: 2.1 million hectares affected
- Marine Pollution: 8 million tonnes reach oceans
- Wildlife Deaths: Millions annually from plastic ingestion
- Disease Vectors: Rats, mosquitoes thrive in dumps
Data Sources and References
Methodology and Data Collection
Waste dumping statistics are derived from World Bank and UNEP data showing 37% of waste going to landfills and 33% to open dumps, totaling approximately 70% of the 2.1 billion tonnes generated annually.
Real-time calculations use a dumping rate of 46.6 tonnes per second based on 1.47 billion tonnes annually, representing the combined total of controlled landfilling and uncontrolled dumping practices worldwide.