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Waste and disaster risk

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Waste laying on the streets in Nigeria. Yellow tricycles pass the waste along the road.
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Introduction

Consumption and production patterns must be re-orientated to prevent over-extraction of resources and environmental degradation, which are drivers of disaster risk.

Floods, cyclones can affect communities' health by spreading toxic waste and wildfires can burn plastic pipes contaminating water.

Risk-informed management of existing waste levels can help prevent new risks, including technological waste.

Disaster risk solutions may also include the use of plastic or wastewater to reduce exposure and vulnerability to natural hazards.

Find out more about reducing risk through responsible waste management.

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Knowledge base

Updates

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The Government of Ghana today received $150 million in additional financing for the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development Project (GARID) from the World Bank to improve flood risk management and solid waste management.
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Documents and publications
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This report looks at the unprecedented threat of worsening hurricanes to the containment of toxic waste at Superfund sites, with a particular focus on the threats posed by the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season.
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