Introduction | Why Circular Economy and Waste Have Become Business Issues

Global waste volumes are increasing at a pace that is difficult to ignore. Across OECD member countries, waste generation has increased by more than 100 million tonnes since 2000. Globally, waste volumes are projected to grow by 81 percent between 2020 and 2050. At the same time, waste management already accounts for up to 5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, making it a material factor in climate mitigation efforts.

Global waste volumes are increasing at a pace that is difficult to ignore. Across OECD member countries, waste generation has increased by more than 100 million tonnes since 2000. Globally, waste volumes are projected to grow by 81 percent between 2020 and 2050. At the same time, waste management already accounts for up to 5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, making it a material factor in climate mitigation efforts.

The Circular Economy Does Not Mean Zero Waste

The circular economy is often associated with the idea of a waste-free system in which everything is recycled and nothing is discarded. However, as the WRAP report makes clear, the circular economy does not imply the complete elimination of waste.

At its core, the circular economy seeks to maintain value in products and materials for as long as possible. By prioritizing durability, reuse, repair, and recycling, it aims to reduce the need for virgin resource extraction and minimize disposal. In this sense, the circular economy is best understood as an economic model focused on preserving value rather than simply avoiding waste.

Even in highly optimized circular systems, waste does not disappear. Materials degrade, composite products are difficult to separate, and safety or quality requirements can limit reuse. A certain amount of residual waste is therefore unavoidable. In practice, what differentiates a functioning circular economy is how that residual waste is handled and how clearly it is understood.

What Cross-Country Data Reveals About Waste Management

While the circular economy is promoted globally, waste management outcomes differ significantly by country. These differences are shaped by long-term policy choices, infrastructure investments, and regulatory design.

The WRAP report compares municipal waste management performance across selected OECD countries using indicators such as waste generation per capita, recycling rates, energy recovery, and landfill disposal.

Country	Waste Generation (kg/pp)	Recycling Rate (%)		Thermal Treatment Rates (%)		Landfilling and Other Disposal Rate (%)
		General Recycling	Other Recovery e.g.composting etc.	Energy Recovery (EfW)	Without Energy Recovery
Japan	326	19	0	75	4	1
Netherlands	467	28	31	40	1	1
Norway	728	31	16	47	0	5
Portugal	514	12	17	17	0	54
UK	436	27	17	44	1	12
OECD*	552	24	14	19	0	43

Source: WRAP, Comparison of OECD municipal waste management indicators for case study countries and UK.

The comparison shows that outcomes vary widely across countries operating under different policy environments.

Japan | Low Landfill, High Reliance on Thermal Treatment

Japan generates relatively low levels of waste per capita and sends very little waste to landfill. However, its recycling rate remains comparatively modest. Waste management relies heavily on incineration and energy recovery, reflecting decades of infrastructure development shaped by land constraints and public health considerations.

The Netherlands | Strict Landfill Restrictions and Integrated Policy Design

The Netherlands combines near-zero landfill rates with relatively high recycling and energy recovery. This outcome is supported by strict landfill bans, mature extended producer responsibility schemes, and deposit-return systems. The Dutch case illustrates how regulatory consistency and economic instruments influence waste flows.

Norway | Energy Recovery and Decarbonization

Norway maintains low landfill rates, while waste generation per capita remains relatively high. Energy-from-waste plays a central role, supported by district heating systems and emerging carbon capture initiatives. This example highlights that reducing landfill and reducing total waste generation are not necessarily the same objective.

Portugal | Policy Ambition and Implementation Gaps

Portugal has aligned its policy framework with EU directives, yet landfill rates remain high and recycling rates comparatively low. The gap between policy ambition and practical outcomes underscores the importance of infrastructure capacity, behavioral change, and enforcement.

United Kingdom | Evolving Regulatory Framework

The United Kingdom has significantly reduced landfill rates over time, supported by a long-standing landfill tax. More recently, policy developments include the implementation of packaging extended producer responsibility and plans to incorporate energy-from-waste into the UK Emissions Trading Scheme.

Taken together, these country comparisons demonstrate that waste management outcomes cannot be explained by a single measure alone. As WRAP emphasizes, achieving better overall performance requires careful implementation of the entire suite of waste management policies. Landfill bans, taxation, EPR, and the positioning of energy recovery each influence waste flows within their respective national contexts.

Policy Developments and Their Financial and Structural Implications for Companies

The WRAP report highlights that waste management is closely connected to regulatory design and economic incentives. Differences in national performance reflect combinations of landfill restrictions, taxation, extended producer responsibility, and energy recovery policies.

Importantly, these policy instruments are not static. In the United Kingdom, for example, WRAP notes that packaging EPR implementation is expected to transfer approximately £2.7 billion in costs from local authorities to producers. This indicates that changes in regulatory frameworks can directly affect corporate cost structures.

Similarly, plans to include energy-from-waste in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme from 2028 would introduce a financial disincentive linked to fossil-derived emissions. Waste treatment choices would therefore become more directly connected to carbon pricing mechanisms.

These developments suggest that waste management decisions increasingly intersect with financial exposure and strategic planning. As WRAP points out, improved performance depends not on isolated measures but on the careful implementation of a broader policy suite. In environments where landfill taxes, EPR systems, carbon pricing, and regulatory restrictions differ across jurisdictions, companies operating internationally face structurally diverse conditions.

In this context, visibility into waste volumes and treatment pathways becomes more than an operational concern. It forms part of how organizations anticipate regulatory change, understand financial implications, and navigate evolving policy environments.

Conclusion | How ASUENE Supports a System-Level View of Waste

As discussed throughout this article, in a circular economy context the focus shifts from eliminating waste entirely to understanding how residual waste is managed within broader regulatory and economic systems. Waste increasingly functions as structured information that connects operational activity with financial and environmental performance.

ASUENE enables companies to manage waste data alongside CO2 emissions data within a unified platform. Rather than treating waste as an isolated operational metric, it supports a system-level view of environmental performance.

From a waste management perspective, ASUENE allows organizations to:

• Visualize waste volumes by site, country, and business unit
• Track waste by treatment route, including recycling, energy recovery, and landfill
• Distinguish between hazardous and non-hazardous waste streams
• Consolidate operational waste data and end-of-life treatment information
• View waste data alongside CO2 emissions to support integrated analysis

Viewing waste as part of an interconnected system provides a foundation for responding to circular economy policies and evolving disclosure expectations. ASUENE supports organizations seeking to build that foundation.

Why Work with ASUENE Inc.?

ASUENE is a key player in carbon accounting, offering a comprehensive platform that measures, reduces, and reports emissions. The company serves over 10,000 clients worldwide with an all-in-one solution that integrates GHG accounting, ESG supply chain management, a Carbon Credit exchange platform, and third-party verification.

ASUENE supports companies in achieving net-zero goals through advanced technology, consulting services, and an extensive network.