The scale of the world’s waste crisis is staggering. According to the UN, humanity produces around 2.2 billion tons of municipal solid waste each year. Without urgent action, that figure could rise to 3.8 billion tons by 2050.
For many cities, waste management has become not just an environmental but also a financial and health concern. At the recent ASEAN Governors and Mayors Forum in Kuala Lumpur, local leaders reported that up to 40 percent of their municipal budgets are spent on waste. Meanwhile, citizens across the region ingest the equivalent of a credit card’s worth of microplastics annually.
Samed Agirbas, president of the Zero Waste Forum, argues that this is a truly global problem. “Every city and town faces the same challenge,” he says. “Waste is threatening well-being and economic prosperity, while accelerating climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.”
Root of the problem
At the heart of the waste crisis is consumer behavior. A culture of convenience — where food, fashion, electronics and even construction materials are designed for short-term use — has driven unsustainable consumption and swelling landfills. Yet Agirbas points out that determined leadership can make a difference.
In Japan, Yokohama has pursued a two-decade city-wide program of awareness campaigns, regulation and community engagement. As a result, waste levels have dropped sharply, and landfill sites are being closed. Manila, by contrast, has focused on separating organic from inorganic waste, then incinerating residual waste to generate energy. While this is a positive step, Agirbas cautions that incineration cannot be the final answer. “Waste-to-energy plants are popping up all around the world,” he says. “But it isn’t zero waste. The Zero Waste Foundation would like the world to reduce the amount of waste that needs to be incinerated. This means rethinking, reusing and recycling.”
Local solutions, global challenges
While cities experiment with solutions, international co-operation remains weak. Waste is still largely managed by national and municipal authorities with limited co-ordination across borders. Yet the Zero Waste Foundation, led by Agirbas, is working to change this.
The organization promotes zero waste principles globally, lobbying at the UN General Assembly, the World Urban Forum, regional summits such as ASEAN and annual climate conferences. It also works with academics to develop practical strategies that make low-waste living accessible to ordinary people. “Conservation of resources is important,” says Agirbas. “But we must be able to find alternatives that make it possible for ordinary people to live a zero-waste lifestyle.”
Signs of progress are emerging. In Tübingen, Germany, the introduction of a tax on disposable packaging cut waste by 15 percent within weeks. Initiatives such as this, Agirbas says, demonstrate that behavioral change is possible when governments provide the right incentives.
A growing movement
The foundation helped launch the first International Zero Waste Day in New York in 2023 and continues to build momentum. Its flagship upcoming event is the Zero Waste Forum in Istanbul, scheduled for Oct. 17-19. Under the theme “People. Places. Progress.,” the forum will convene leaders from governments, businesses and civil society to accelerate action.
Key themes include:
- Cities as drivers of change, showing how mayors and governors are implementing zero waste locally.
- Business and innovation, highlighting solutions from companies and startups making reuse and repair viable.
- Global policy frameworks, including the UN Plastics Treaty and European packaging regulations.
- Technology and data, exploring AI and digital traceability to measure progress.
- Voices from the Global South, ensuring that solutions are inclusive and equitable.
The forum will also see the launch of the Zero Waste International Awards, recognizing pioneering cities, companies and individuals who deliver measurable results. Another expected outcome is the establishment of a business coalition to promote circular economy models that create jobs and attract investment.
A ministerial roundtable convened by Turkiye’s Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum will focus on the alignment of zero waste policies among member states. Malaysia’s Minister of Housing and Local Government Nga Kor Ming, who is also the president of the UN Habitat Assembly, will advocate for the mainstreaming of the New Urban Agenda into the UNFCCC process at COP30. By adopting the zero waste policy, countries and cities can take action to reduce pollution and environmental degradation.
Navigating global tensions
Calls for multilateral action are rising, but they come at a time of geopolitical strain. Agirbas acknowledges these challenges but insists that co-operation is essential. “We don’t have a choice,” he says. “As our patron, Emine Erdogan, the first lady of Türkiye, says, we are obliged as humanity to act at once and together because we will either win or lose all together.”
This sense of urgency is also personal. “I have a little daughter,” Agirbas adds. “I want to make sure we leave a better world for her.”
The road ahead
Looking to the next decade, the foundation’s mission is clear: to inspire and enable societies to rethink, reuse and recycle at scale. Collaboration will be central — working with UN agencies, national and local governments, businesses, civil society and indigenous communities. Innovation will be equally important, as new technologies and economic models will determine whether zero-waste living can be achieved by ordinary people around the world.
“So long as there are human settlements, there will be a waste management challenge,” Agirbas reflects. “We need to create a whole-of-humanity approach that makes zero waste possible.”
