Waste Archives

Ruth Deidree Boelan prays for her relatives who went missing in recent flooding when their home on a riverbank collapsed

World

Flood reckoning for Bali on overdevelopment, waste

Standing where her family home once was, Ruth Deidree Boelan closed her eyes and prayed for relatives missing in devastating flash floods that swept...

AFPOctober 20, 2025

The collapse of a mountain of waste in the Ugandan capital on August 9, 2024, killed 35 people

World

A year on, Ugandans still suffering from deadly garbage collapse

When the giant landfill collapsed in Uganda’s capital Kampala a year ago, Zamhall Nansamba thought she was hearing an aeroplane taking off. Then came...

AFPAugust 6, 2025

Plastic waste has been found from the bottom of the seas to the tops of mountains

World

New push to reach plastic pollution pact

Negotiators will take another stab at reaching a global pact on plastic pollution at talks opening Tuesday in Geneva but they face deep divisions...

AFPAugust 2, 2025

Less than 10 percent of all plastic is recycled, a rate that has remained stagnant even as production has exploded

World

Global plastic recycling rates ‘stagnant’ at under 10%: study

The amount of plastic being recycled around the world is stagnant at less than 10 percent with most new plastic still made from fossil...

AFPApril 10, 2025

Sara Samanieg has become an unofficial spokeswoman for the 74,000 people who rummage through the garbage of Latin America's fourth-biggest economy every day

Social Media

Colombian influencer puts the pizzazz into recycling

Samaniego tries to boost their visibility by profiling waste pickers on her YouTube and Instagram accounts.

AFPMarch 18, 2025

Oshkosh's all-electric garbage and recycling vehicle is outfitted with AI that can identify load hazards and tell if recycling bins have been contaminated with other refuse

Business

At CES, AI-powered garbage trucks reduce battery fire risk

From laptops to EVs, lithium-ion batteries have fueled phenomenal growth in the 21st century, but businesses struggle with a significant downside: increased fire risk....

AFPJanuary 9, 2025

Waste pickers are seeking recognition in any new treaty to curb plastic pollution

World

Waste pickers battle for recognition at plastic treaty talks

As diplomats negotiate behind closed doors in Busan on a treaty to curb plastic pollution, the waste pickers who are on the front lines...

AFPNovember 28, 2024

Albanian authorities have said they plan to test the cargo once the ship docks

Business

Ship with suspected toxic waste returns to Albania

A ship carrying hundreds of tonnes of possibly toxic industrial waste returned to Albania’s largest seaport of Durres on Monday, months after setting sail...

AFPOctober 28, 2024