Health and Climate Imperatives to Address Open Burning of Waste

The uncontrolled burning of waste takes place worldwide, particularly in LMICs where there are often either limitations in the effectiveness of the existing waste management systems or there are no systems present. The evidence around the prevalence of this issue and its harmful effects are generally poor.

Waste is burnt in residential areas and within industrial or commercial premises due to the lack of availability, the unreliability, or sometimes the complete absence of waste collection and disposal systems. It can lead to a number of public and environmental health concerns. For example, there can often be direct health impacts for those undertaking burning in confined spaces (for example, in factories), and for waste workers who burn electronic waste to extract the metals. In addition, these e-wastes contain hazardous materials such as lead and arsenic. There are also risks posed to the communities where the waste is burnt, especially to the most vulnerable people, such as children, older people, pregnant women, and those with comorbidities. The waste can also directly lead to contamination of the land and water (surface and ground water), leading to more wide-spread risks.