The world is drowning in trash 🌊—and it’s about to get worse. A new UN report reveals that 2.3 billion tonnes of municipal waste piled up in 2023, with projections hitting a shocking 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050. That’s like stacking garbage bags to the moon… 30 times over! 🚮
Hidden Costs of Our Throwaway Culture
The environmental and economic toll is staggering. Poor waste practices like open dumping and burning are spewing toxins into air, water, and soil, while climate impacts could drive annual costs to $640 billion by 2050—up from $361 billion in 2020. 💸
GDP Growth = Trash Growth?
UNEP chief Inger Andersen warns that booming economies face the brunt: \"Waste is tied to GDP. We need urgent action to avoid burying future generations in pollution.\" The report, launched at this week’s UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, calls for global cooperation to turn this crisis into a sustainability marathon. 🏃♀️♻️
This isn’t just a «future problem.» With trash volumes outpacing population growth, the UN says now is the time to rethink recycling, invest in green tech, and slash single-use plastics. 🌏💡
