10 things to know about waste

Humans could generate 3.4 billion tonnes of solid waste globally by 2050, according to the World Bank. Photo: AFP

No less than two billion tonnes of municipal solid waste – ie, all the waste collected and treated within the jurisdiction of municipalities – are produced each year in the world.

Enough to fill some 820,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to the World Bank. On the occasion of the International Day of Zero Waste, here are 10 facts that demonstrate the importance of significantly reducing – or transforming – the garbage accumulated by humans across the surface of the planet.