Japan has emerged as the world leader in waste management, while Israel, Chile, and the United States rank among the worst-performing countries, according to the Global Waste Index 2025 released by Slovak-based waste technology company Sensoneo.
The report, which ranks all 38 OECD member states based on their waste generation and disposal practices, highlights significant disparities in global waste management. Sensoneo’s index evaluates countries on per capita waste generation, recycling, incineration, and landfill use.
Israel and Chile ranked last and second-to-last, respectively, primarily due to their heavy reliance on environmentally damaging landfilling practices. Israel sends 524 of the 650 kilograms of waste it generates per person each year directly to landfills. Chile recycles just 1% of its waste and sends more than 95% to landfill.
The United States, which increased its per capita waste generation from 811 to 951 kilograms since 2022, remains the highest generator of municipal solid waste globally. The U.S. disposes of nearly half of that — 447 kilograms — in landfills annually. Neighboring Canada also performed poorly, landfilling 67% of its annual 694 kg per capita waste.
At the other end of the spectrum, Japan ranked No. 1, followed by South Korea and Estonia, all of which combine relatively low waste generation with efficient disposal methods. Japan sends only 3 kilograms per capita to landfill, relying heavily on incineration (245 kg) and maintaining a controlled recycling rate.
European countries dominated the top 10 rankings, with Austria, Germany, Finland, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, and Switzerland all demonstrating strong waste management systems. Austria topped the recycling chart with 334 kilograms of municipal waste recycled per person annually — accounting for 42% of its total waste.
Meanwhile, Spain fell four places to 27th despite minor improvements. The country reduced its landfill and incineration rates slightly while increasing recycling by 10 kilograms per capita. However, its overall waste generation rose by 10 kg compared to the 2022 index.
The index revealed that in 12 of the 38 countries, over half of all waste is still landfilled — including in developed nations like Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. By contrast, Switzerland was the only country to report zero landfill disposal, while Belgium, Finland, Estonia, and Japan landfilled less than 3 kg per person.
Other key findings include:
- New Zealand, Finland, and Iceland posted the largest reductions in waste generation per capita.
- From an environmental standpoint, incineration is considered preferable to landfilling, but excessive reliance on either suggests a need for stronger waste reduction and recycling strategies.
About the Index and Sensoneo
First launched in 2019, the Global Waste Index is published every three years by Sensoneo, a company specializing in digital transformation for waste management systems. The 2025 edition is based on the latest available national data.
Sensoneo operates in 87 countries and provides waste monitoring solutions to cities, industries, and governments. It is the only company to have successfully implemented deposit return systems (DRS) IT infrastructure in nine countries, achieving recycling rates above 90%.
In Madrid, Sensoneo is deploying 11,100 smart sensors, marking the world’s largest smart waste monitoring installation to date.
