GCC-Stat Reports Significant Increase In Waste Collection And Treatment Across GCC Countries

The Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf (GCC-Stat) has released new data showing a significant rise in waste collection across GCC countries. By the end of 2023, approximately 262.7 million tons of waste were collected, marking a 153.7% increase from 2019. The amount of treated waste also rose to 192.0 million tons, reflecting a growth of 128.5%.

In terms of household waste, each person in the GCC now generates about 1.4 kilograms daily, which is a reduction of 17.4%. Notably, 99.2% of this collected waste is non-hazardous. For hazardous waste, 95.8% was exported for treatment elsewhere, focusing on recycling or recovering metals.

The GCC countries have made progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 12 by achieving a recycling rate of 30% for hazardous waste in 2023. Under the Basel Convention on Hazardous Wastes, they submitted a total of 87 national reports.

Post-COVID-19, hazardous waste from healthcare decreased by 11.4% in 2023 compared to the previous year. The region has expanded its medical waste treatment facilities significantly, with incineration sites increasing by 27.8%, reaching a total of 23 sites in 2023.

The design capacity for these facilities also grew by 123.9%, now able to handle up to 207.5 thousand metric tons annually. Meanwhile, industrial hazardous waste saw an increase of 23.8% in collection during the same period.

Trends in Municipal and Agricultural Waste

Household waste collection peaked at 35.5 million tons in 2020 but dropped to around 30.8 million tons by the end of 2023. Agricultural waste collection rose by 44%, reaching 2.5 million tons compared to previous years.

Municipal waste from other economic activities increased from 11.9 million tons in 2019 to about 14.3 million tons in recent years.

Future Projections for Waste Management Market

According to Mordor Intelligence's Waste Management Market Analysis Study (2019–2023), the GCC's market size is expected to grow significantly from USD 68.3 billion in 2025 to USD 97.4 billion by 2030, with an annual growth rate of approximately 7.4%.

These developments highlight ongoing efforts and challenges within GCC countries regarding effective waste management and sustainability practices as they continue to adapt and expand their infrastructure and strategies for future needs.

With inputs from WAM