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Waste

Waste can be a byproduct of industrial processes - or an item can become waste after it's been consumed. Waste - be it plastic, micro-plastic, radioactive, or otherwise toxic - can cause major environmental problems.

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All Content on this topic

Workers in Malaysia open the doors of a plastics waste shipment

Malaysia struggles to halt European plastic waste imports

Malaysia is one of Europe's top dumping grounds for plastic waste. Will the EU's upcoming export ban make a difference?
Nature and EnvironmentNovember 3, 2024
DW Eco India (Sendungslogo Composite)

Eco India: Waste — what to do with it?

Billions of tons of waste are produced each year. What can we do about it?
Nature and EnvironmentOctober 31, 202426:04 min
Electronic waste of computers, printers, and wires

E-waste from AI computers could 'escalate beyond control'

Researchers predicting a 1,000-fold increase in e-waste from AI computers by 2030 have called for recycling strategies.
ScienceOctober 28, 2024
DW Eco India (Sendungslogo Composite)

Eco India: Tech changing how we live and farm

As climate change affects farming and food production, how can technology help us to adapt?
Nature and EnvironmentOctober 24, 202426:04 min
Geflügelfarm

Zambian ecopreneur builds incubators from waste material

Zambian ecopreneur builds incubators from waste material
TechnologyOctober 17, 202403:54 min
DW Eco India 11.10.24

India: Chennai initiative promotes recycling

A women-led initiative is encouraging the public to properly collect, separate and recycle their waste.
Nature and EnvironmentOctober 11, 202407:30 min
DW "Global Us" Sendungslogo Composite

Rise of drug cartels in Ecuador

Drug cartels in Ecuador are gaining influence, and why forest dieback could lead to healthier ecosystems.
BusinessOctober 11, 202426:04 min
DW Eco India (Sendungslogo Composite)

Eco India: Recycle, repair, renew!

From electronic scrap to sewage, we explore how global innovations are tackling waste and promoting recycling.
Nature and EnvironmentOctober 10, 202426:04 min
The image shows Limpho Thoahlane and some kids standing by a machine that breaks down the plastic into smaller pieces

Lesotho activist challenges youth to tackle plastic waste

Educator Limpho Thoahlane set up her own recycling station, teaching young people how to deal with plastic pollution.
Nature and EnvironmentOctober 10, 202406:12 min
Afrimaxx: The image shows Nigerian fashion designer Dimeji Ilori.

Nigerian fashion — where style meets sustainability

For Dimeji Ilori textile waste provides a veritable treasure trove for his fabulous sartorial creations.
DesignOctober 10, 202405:51 min
A pile of electronic waste

Malawi: Building water pumps from electronic waste

In Malawi, one young man is using electronic waste to create cost-effective water pumps for farmers.
Nature and EnvironmentOctober 10, 202404:32 min
Piles of grabage lying open near residential areas in Karachi, Pakistan

Pakistan: What's behind the 'unsolvable' garbage crisis?

The massive trash problem in Karachi is causing acute health problems, both for adults and children.
SocietyOctober 8, 202403:01 min
Two tourists paddle a kayak across a Copenhagen waterway.

How Denmark's capital Copenhagen is built on trust

Nowhere else in Europe do people seem to trust each other more than in Denmark.
SocietyOctober 8, 202404:45 min
DW Eco India (Sendungslogo Composite)

Eco India: Circular economy, circular thinking

Used car tires, old plastic products or electronic waste: Repurposing is good for the environment and the economy.
Nature and EnvironmentOctober 3, 202426:04 min
A male artist weaves can waste into portraits in Nigeria.

Nigerian artist weaving waste into stunning portrait

Chibuike Ifedilichukwu produces colorful life-size portraits of amazing quality, using waste from the streets.
ArtsOctober 1, 202402:04 min
Two women peel cassava with a large knife and collect the husk in silver tubs in Ghana.

Finding new uses for waste products

Ghana's Climate Innovation Centre acts as an incubator for green start-ups.
Nature and EnvironmentSeptember 20, 202405:15 min
DW Eco Africa (Sendungslogo Composite)

When technology and nature work hand in hand — Eco Africa

In Ghana start-ups are finding inventive uses for agricultural waste; Senegal’s ‘agri-influencers’.
Nature and EnvironmentSeptember 19, 202426:04 min
Deutschland Atomkraftwerk Isar 2 wird abgeschaltet

Germany's dirty secret: Its leaking nuclear waste dump

A radioactive waste dump in Germany has been leaking for decades. And nobody really knows what do to with it.
Nature and EnvironmentSeptember 19, 202408:49 min
Screenshot Recycling von Denim-Abfällen in erstaunliche neue Produkte

African firm recycling textile waste in Kenya and Nigeria

The fashion industry faces a growing waste problem. One African company is turning textile waste into something useful.
SocietySeptember 19, 202403:19 min
DW Sendung The 77 Percent | Energie aus Maniokabfällen

Ghanaian ecopreneur turns cassava waste into clean energy

A Ghanaian ecopreneur is making this a reality by transforming discarded cassava peels into powerful cooking briquettes.
SocietySeptember 18, 202404:48 min
Müll und Umweltverschmutzung auf Bali

Liberia: Creating jobs by upcycling plastic waste

Like many other African countries, Liberia needs help managing its waste.
Nature and EnvironmentSeptember 18, 202402:06 min
Barrels of nuclear waste

Old challenges, new solutions — MADE

Old nuclear waste, new energy policies and the labor market of the future.
BusinessSeptember 17, 202426:04 min
REV Envision car wood

Incredible cars crafted from recycled materials

Groundbreaking vehicles made from surprising materials are paving the way for a sustainable future.
Cars and TransportationSeptember 17, 202419:07 min
A man stands at a table showing off a craft project

DIY: How to upcycle plastic caps into lip balm containers

A Ghanaian eco-entrepreneur shows how everyday plastic waste can become a beauty must-have with simple DIY techniques.
LifestyleSeptember 5, 202404:30 min
DW "Eco Africa" Sendungslogo mit Partnerlogos (Composite)

Wildlife conservation drones and forest dieback — Eco Africa

Wildlife conservation with drones in Burundi and Switzerland. How forest dieback can be good news.
Nature and EnvironmentSeptember 5, 202426:04 min
DW Sendung The 77 Percent | DIY Nigeria: Interior decor with waste paper

DIY Nigeria: Interior decor with waste paper

One Nigerian artist is giving waste a second chance by turning used paper and bric-a-brac into decorative objects.
Nature and EnvironmentSeptember 2, 202402:53 min
DW "Global Us" Sendungslogo Composite

Gun craze in the USA - Global Us

Can schools in the USA really be safer if teachers are armed? And, Renata Flores raps in Quechua.
ClimateAugust 30, 202426:04 min
DW "Eco Africa" Sendungslogo mit Partnerlogos (Composite)

Waste prevention and urban mining - Eco Africa

Deforestation and plastic waste harm the environment – but many in Africa are working hard to protect it.
Nature and EnvironmentAugust 22, 202426:04 min
DW Eco India (Sendungslogo Composite)

Eco India - What happens in a world out of balance?

Balance is vital to life on Earth. So what happens when it’s disrupted by chemicals in the soil, or technology -- even if it's green? Plus: How jute restores ecological balance, and an all-women team improves India’s waste management gender balance.
Nature and EnvironmentAugust 21, 202426:04 min
Red Cross volunteers carry the body of a victim retrieved from the site of a garbage dump landslide

Uganda ponders lessons from deadly garbage landslide

A tragedy at Kampala's Kiteezi landfill has highlighted the urgent need for better waste management solutions in Uganda.
CatastropheAugust 21, 2024
Rescuers work at the site of a landslide at Kiteezi landfill in Kampala, Uganda.

Uganda: Death toll rises after landslide at rubbish dump

At least 24 people are confirmed dead after a landslide at a landfill site at the edge of Uganda's capital, Kampala.
CatastropheAugust 13, 202401:51 min
White woman holding a green plastic basket. To her right, a wall made from clay and bottles.

Malawi cafe combines great food with zero-waste concept

What do old tin cans have to do with menstrual cups? Kaza Kitchen in Malawi shows what it's all about.
Nature and EnvironmentAugust 9, 202406:28 min
A colorful kudu sculpture made from recycled plastic.

Turning trash into beautiful art

Yandiswa Mazwana is transforming recycled plastic into stunning works of art.
ArtsAugust 2, 202406:15 min
DW Planet A Atommüll

Nuclear waste is reusable — why aren't we doing it?

French nuclear fuel company ORANO is one of the very few companies recycling nuclear fuel on a commercial scale.
Nature and EnvironmentAugust 2, 202415:24 min
external

Waste as a resource - Eco India

From wastewater to plant residue, plastics and textiles, waste can be a valuable resource.
Nature and EnvironmentAugust 1, 202426:05 min
DW Eco Africa (Sendungslogo Composite)

Eco Africa - The Environment Magazine

How can we improve urban air quality? In Nairobi, activists collect air pollution data to press the authorities to act, while a French city offers free public transport to cut emissions. Plus: Cutting single-use plastic and cleaning up Lake Victoria.
Nature and EnvironmentAugust 1, 202426:04 min
People sort piles of textiles of different colors

Old clothes: Recycled or dumped in landfills?

Innovative recycling technologies give new life to old clothes. Sustainable materials are created from old fabrics.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 25, 202401:45 min
DW Eco Africa (Sendungslogo mit Partnerlogos englisch)

Eco Africa — The Environment Magazine

Resolving conflicts between Ghana's farmers and herders and the locals in Guinea protecting a wetland.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 25, 202426:06 min
South Korean army soldiers wearing protective gear checks the debreis from a balloon presumably sent by North Korea, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Seoul, South Korea.

North Korea sends trash-filled balloons into South Korea

At least one balloon has dropped rubbish on the presidential compound in Seoul, amid thousands launched since May.
ConflictsJuly 24, 202401:18 min
A split-screen of a pair of mannequins in a clothing store, next to a image showing a stock ticker and numbers

As fast-fashion companies cash in, costs are mounting

As people buy more and more clothing, but wear items for less and less time, where does it all end up?
BusinessJuly 21, 202414:38 min
One of the hundreds of trash-filled balloons flown by North Korea overnight is found in a rice paddy in the northwestern border county of Ganghwa on June 10, 2024.

North Korea flies more balloons across border with South

South Korea is boosting its propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts at the border after the North floated new trash balloons.
ConflictsJuly 21, 2024
DW "Global Us" Sendungslogo Composite

Why is the Pantanal in Brazil burning? - Global Us

Iraqi artists make Baghdad colorful. Why is the Pantanal in Brazil burning again? Plus, how we can recycle more clothes.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 19, 202426:04 min
DW Sendung Eco India | Trash Center

Trash Center in Tamil Nadu

In the community of Coonoor, an NGO is converting waste into compost, which is also used to fertilize plants.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 8, 202403:51 min
A group of people run with trash bags

Young Nigerians 'plogging' to clean up environment

In Nigeria, "plogging" — a combination of jogging and litter picking — is rapidly gaining popularity.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 4, 202400:59 min
DW "Global Us" Sendungslogo Composite

Germany's leaking nuclear waste site — Global Us

A radioactive waste dump in Germany. And the forced sterilization of Indigenous women in Canada.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 1, 202426:04 min
DW - Global Us | Indonesien | Plastikdoktor

The Indonesian doctor combating plastic waste

The Indonesian doctor whose patients can pay with vouchers for returned plastic waste.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 1, 202405:59 min
DW - Global Us | Deutschland | Asse

Germany's nuclear waste secret

A former salt mine in Germany that became a radioactive waste dump has been leaking for decades.
Nature and EnvironmentJuly 1, 202412:12 min
A view of a woman salvaging items from a waste dump which is expanding along a tent displacement camp

Israel's Gaza bombardment creates dangerous trash piles

Huge piles of waste are growing in the Gaza Strip, adding to the risk of disease and contamination in the enclave.
ConflictsJune 29, 202401:50 min
DW Sendung | Planet A

We need to fix landfills — here's how

Landfills cause many diseases and are a massive driver of climate change, releasing methane. What are the solutions?
ClimateJune 28, 202412:40 min
DW Eco India (Sendungslogo Composite)

How can we manage our food sustainably? - Eco India

Teaching others to grow organic food, empowering the poorest to improve their nutrition levels, and cutting food waste.
Nature and EnvironmentJune 27, 202426:04 min