Last updated: July 2026

Ranked by overall waste-management performance, Israel, Chile, and the United States are the worst-performing developed nations, according to the Sensoneo Global Waste Index 2025. The index scores all 38 OECD countries on how much waste they generate and how they handle it (recycling, incineration and landfill), not on generation alone, which is why a high-recycling country can outrank a lower-waste one. Greece and Canada round out the five worst performers. Australia sits at 33rd of 38, meaning most OECD nations manage waste better than we do.

The world generated 2.56 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste in 2022, a figure the World Bank's What a Waste 3.0 report (2026) had not expected to reach until 2030. Under a business-as-usual scenario, that figure is projected to grow to 3.86 billion tonnes by 2050, a 50 percent increase in under three decades. The average person now generates 0.88 kg of waste per day, though the figure varies from 0.2 kg in low-income countries to more than 2.2 kg per day in North America.

A note on the data: The country figures below come from two sources. For OECD member countries, we use per-capita municipal solid waste (MSW) data from the Sensoneo Global Waste Index 2025, which covers 38 nations using standardised kg per person per year measurements. For global and regional trends, we cite the World Bank What a Waste 3.0 report (2026), which covers 217 countries. MSW includes waste from households, businesses, and public institutions, and is the standard international metric for comparing countries. It excludes industrial, mining, and agricultural waste, which is why some countries appear differently when all waste categories are combined.

Key global waste figures (World Bank What a Waste 3.0, 2026)

• Total global municipal solid waste generated in 2022: 2.56 billion tonnes
• Projected global waste by 2050 (business as usual): 3.86 billion tonnes, a 50 percent increase
• Global average waste per person per day: 0.88 kg
• North America: 2.2 kg per capita per day, the highest of any region
• High-income countries make up 16 percent of global population but generate 29 percent of all waste (754 million tonnes in 2022)
• Food waste is the largest single category globally: 38 percent of all municipal solid waste
• Landfill is the most common disposal method worldwide, accounting for 29 percent of waste
• Almost one third of all global waste is not treated at all, either openly dumped or not collected
• The global cost of municipal waste management already exceeds US$250 billion annually

Which countries produce the most waste?

The table below shows the five worst-performing OECD nations on the Sensoneo Global Waste Index 2025 composite score, with Australia (33rd of 38) included for comparison.

• Israel: 650 kg/person/yr generated, 49 kg recycled, 524 kg landfilled, 8% recycling rate
• Chile: 437 kg/person/yr generated, 2 kg recycled, 417 kg landfilled, 0% recycling rate
• United States: 951 kg/person/yr generated, 284 kg recycled, 447 kg landfilled, 30% recycling rate
• Greece: 519 kg/person/yr generated, 82 kg recycled, 420 kg landfilled, 16% recycling rate
• Canada: 684 kg/person/yr generated, 192 kg recycled, 468 kg landfilled, 28% recycling rate
• Australia (33rd of 38): 543 kg/person/yr generated, 100 kg recycled, 286 kg landfilled, 18% recycling rate

Israel

Israel generates 650 kg of municipal solid waste per person each year, placing it last among OECD countries in waste management performance. The more striking figure is where it goes: 524 kg per person is sent to landfill, an 80 percent landfill rate that is the highest of any analysed nation.

Chile

Chile generates 437 kg per person per year, with a recycling rate of effectively zero. Only 2 kg per capita is recycled; 417 kg goes to landfill. Chile and the United States have appeared at the bottom of the Global Waste Index in every edition since 2019.

United States

The United States is the single largest generator of municipal solid waste among OECD nations: 951 kg per person per year, up from 811 kg in 2022. The US accounts for roughly 4 percent of the global population but generates 12 percent of all municipal solid waste, according to the NRDC as cited in the Sensoneo 2025 report.

Greece

Greece generates 519 kg per capita per year, with 420 kg going to landfill. Its 16 percent recycling rate puts it well below the OECD average.

Canada

Canada is the fifth-worst OECD performer for waste management, generating 684 kg per person per year. Of that, 468 kg ends up in landfill. The two North American nations, the US and Canada, account for the highest per-capita waste generation of any OECD region.

Finland generates 468 kg of municipal solid waste per person each year, according to the Sensoneo Global Waste Index 2025. While that is a moderate generation figure, it is how Finland handles that waste that stands out: 256 kg per person is sent to incineration for energy recovery, and just 2 kg ends up in landfill. That makes Finland one of Europe's top waste management performers, even though it is not the lowest generator.

What about China?

China produces roughly 15 percent of global municipal solid waste by volume, making it the world's largest generator in absolute terms. However, China generates only about 0.97 kg per capita per day, well below the North American average of 2.2 kg, according to the World Bank What a Waste 3.0 report (2026). The reason: China's large rural population and different consumption patterns. Per-capita rankings tell a different story to total-volume rankings, which is why the countries at the top of this list are mostly developed, high-income nations.

Where does Australia rank?

Australia ranks 33rd out of 38 OECD countries in waste management performance, according to the Sensoneo Global Waste Index 2025. Each Australian generates an average of 543 kg of municipal solid waste per year. Of that, 286 kg ends up in landfill.

The country's standing has deteriorated: Australia ranked 19th in 2022 and dropped to 33rd in the 2025 index. The Sensoneo report places Australia in the category of nations where the majority of waste ends up in landfills, which it flags as "particularly alarming."

For comparison, Japan, the top performer, generates just 326 kg per capita per year, and 245 kg of that is converted to energy through incineration. Only 3 kg per person reaches a landfill.

Australia's 18 percent recycling rate (100 kg of the 543 kg generated per person) leaves considerable room for improvement. The gap between what is generated and what is actually recycled or diverted from landfill is where household and commercial waste management decisions have real impact.

The figures above show that where waste ends up matters as much as how much is generated. Countries with low landfill rates, such as Japan and South Korea, achieve good outcomes through recycling and incineration infrastructure. For households and businesses in Sydney, responsible disposal starts with who collects your rubbish.

Frequently asked questions

Which country produces the most waste per capita?

Among OECD nations, the United States generates the most municipal solid waste per person: 951 kg per year, according to the Sensoneo Global Waste Index 2025. When ranked by per-capita municipal waste alone, Israel generates 650 kg per year, Chile 437 kg, and the US 951 kg, placing the US highest by generation volume if not by worst overall waste management score.

Does China produce the most waste in the world?

China generates the largest total volume of municipal solid waste globally, accounting for around 15 percent of world totals. But on a per-person basis, China generates roughly 0.97 kg per day, which is below the global average for high-income countries. The countries that generate the most waste per capita are concentrated in North America and parts of the Middle East.

Where does Australia rank in waste production?

Australia ranks 33rd of 38 OECD countries in waste management performance in the Sensoneo Global Waste Index 2025, down from 19th in 2022. Australians generate 543 kg of municipal solid waste per person per year, with 286 kg going to landfill and only 100 kg recycled.

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