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Waste

Waste can be a byproduct of industrial processes - or an item can become waste after it's been consumed. Waste - be it plastic, micro-plastic, radioactive, or otherwise toxic - can cause major environmental problems.

Skip next section Reports & Analysis

Reports & Analysis

A landfill in front of smokestacks

How European trash illegally ends up in Southeast Asia

How European trash illegally ends up in Southeast Asia

The illegal waste trade from Europe to Southeast Asia has emerged as a highly profitable, low-risk criminal enterprise.
Nature and EnvironmentApril 17, 2024
A woman throws collected empty plastic bottles onto a garbage collection point containing many more empty plastic bottles in Uganda, Africa.

Turning trash into cash in Uganda

Turning trash into cash in Uganda

In Uganda, refugees are using a mobile app to collect plastic waste and earn a living.
Nature and EnvironmentApril 16, 202405:47 min
A pair of glasses with a black frame against a yellow background beside contact lense kit on a pink background

Eyeing sustainability: Contact lenses vs. glasses

Eyeing sustainability: Contact lenses vs. glasses

Is all the waste associated with contact lenses better than the environmental impact of manufacturing glasses?
Nature and EnvironmentApril 12, 2024
A waste dump with used clothes in Java, Indonesia

Fast fashion: France seeks to slow down wasteful industry

Fast fashion: France seeks to slow down wasteful industry

France is working on a new law that is calling for companies to disclose the environmental impact of their products.
BusinessApril 8, 2024
A crouching young man in a green T-shirt holds up a model airplane made from white plastic foam

Young Nigerian turns trash into model airplanes

Young Nigerian turns trash into model airplanes

Bolaji Fatai builds remote-controlled airplanes out of found objects, and hopes to one day work in the drone industry.
SocietyMarch 28, 202401:29 min
A man throws empty batteries into a cardboard recycling box in Poland, Europe.

Avoiding landfill: Recycling batteries in Poland

Avoiding landfill: Recycling batteries in Poland

An activist in Poland has encouraged the public to recycle batteries to keep them out of landfill, and it's catching on.
Nature and EnvironmentMarch 26, 202401:54 min
Skip next section In the spotlight

In the spotlight

A close-up of a woman tying her shoe in India

Indian groups empower women working in informal sector

Two Delhi organizations are helping the many women who work informally as waste pickers or in the construction industry.
Nature and EnvironmentMarch 25, 202404:35 min
People sort through mountains of largely plastic waste in a city dump

Nigeria joins global efforts to curb plastic waste

The number of countries banning plastic bags is growing, but enforcement is still an issue, especially in Africa.
Nature and EnvironmentMarch 13, 2024
A closeup of a circuit board

Bangladesh's e-waste crisis endangers health, environment

Recovering valuable metals from the trash could be a big opportunity for entrepreneurs, but it comes at a huge cost.
Nature and EnvironmentJanuary 2, 202413:23 min
A worker sorting electronic equipment in Seelampur, New Delhi

Workers recycling India's e-waste underpaid, unprotected

Seelampur is the largest electronic waste dismantling market in India. The industry is largely unregulated.
BusinessDecember 6, 202302:07 min
A detail of a man's hands holding a pile of shredded blue plastic

Plastic waste: What can be done to reduce it?

Plastic is cheap and lightweight. It's also placing an increasingly severe strain on the environment.
ClimateNovember 16, 20237 images
A sculpture made of plastic waste. Plastic rubbish flows out of a giant tap suspended in the air.

Waves of waste: The harsh truth about ocean plastic

Some of the world's most motivated janitors are trying to clean up vast fields of plastic waste. But is it worth it?
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 13, 2023