SWANA Teams with ISWA for Close the Dumpsites Campaign

The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) is partnering with the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) this Earth Day to promote ISWA’s Close the Dumpsites campaign, which urges supporters to sign the declaration to close the world’s 50 largest dumpsites by 2030.

“Earth Day, established nearly 50 years ago, provides a forum for highlighting environmental concerns that affect us all here on earth,” said SWANA President Rich Allen in a statement. “The uncontained greenhouse gas emissions from these 50 landfills has a tremendous impact on our climate and finding more environmentally sound practices for waste disposal and/or finding uses for waste as a resource in these areas could alleviate those concerns.”

Two million people worldwide live on these dumpsites in dangerous conditions, scavenging for food, metal, textiles and other materials. And these dumpsites generate billions of tons of waste and lack emission controls, which could account for up to 10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.

“The response from many is encouraging, but we are still at the beginning of the journey,” said ISWA President Antonis Mavropoulos in a statement. “Help ISWA drive the ‘Close the Dumpsites’ initiative and stimulate a global movement for closing down the world’s biggest dumpsites.”