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Waste and recycling has become a political hot potato in recent years around the

world. Some world cities are becoming crippled by garbage, and the problem is only

worsening as governments struggle to cope. According to a new report by the World

Bank, urban rubbish generation is set to increase twofold over the next 15 years. As

global living standards and urban populations continue to rise, so do the mountains of 

trash we produce. Household waste is set to soar from its current 1.3 billion tons to 2.2

billion by 2025, while the annual cost of managing this mountain of rubbish will rise from

$205 billion to $375 billion. (Dan Hoornweg World Bank 2012)

The two front-runners producing waste would be China and the United States,

simply because they have the biggest populations and biggest economies. Solid waste

is basically a by-product of our economies. Per capita, probably Canada and the US

take the lead. Then, Europe is below that, and Japan is below that. Then we have the

fast-rising Asian countries. China is out there for sure. Then, Vietnam, Indonesia,

Philippines. Then the countries that produce the least amount of waste - particularly per 

capita - are obviously the lower-income countries. Sub-Saharan Africa, India still has a

fairly low per capita waste generation as well. (Dan Hoornweg World Bank 2012 World

Bank)

Most common waste around the world are glass, plastic, metals, papers,

computers and tires. Among this waste, plastic is the most threatening in the

environment especially plastic bottles. Plastic Bottle produces up to 1.5 million tons of 

plastic waste per year. Plastic requires up to 47 million gallons of oil per year to

produce. And while the plastic used to bottle beverages is of high quality and in demand

by recyclers, over 80 percent of plastic bottles are simply thrown away. And these

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plastic bottles take an average of 1 million years to biodegrade. (Food and Water 

Watch, 2008).

 According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports

that only 6.8 percent of all plastics were recycled in 2007 as compared to the 50 percent

of all paper which was recycled. The reasons for this low rate of recycling tend to center 

around the inability to recycle all types of plastic in community recycling programs.

Like most countries that have achieved significant economic development, the

Philippines now is struggling with solid waste disposal that can affect our environment,

health and way of living. Like for example in Baguio City, because of lack of landfill the

city needs P36,164,413.15 for waste disposal until the end of 2009. City accountant

 Antonio Tabin, who presented the proposed appropriation to the city council during its

special session, said the amount would cover hauling and tipping fees from October to

December 2009 to move the wastes to the Capas landfill facility in Tarlac. (Midland

courier 2009)