Country profile

Zambia

Waste generation, collection, composition, treatment and policy statistics for Zambia.

Indicator year 2022Sub-Saharan AfricaLMIC

Municipal waste generated219kg per person · 2022 · World Bank What a Waste 3.0 · reported value

Collection coverage20%2022 · World Bank What a Waste 3.0 · population coverage

Municipal recycling rate6%2022 · World Bank What a Waste 3.0 · reported treatment share

Uncollected waste—No published value

Open dumping—No published value

Sanitary landfill—No published value

Waste composition

World Bank What a Waste 3.0 · 2022 · reported material shares

Food and organics51%

Plastic14%

Other materials12%

Metal9%

Paper and cardboard6%

Glass4%

Textiles4%

World Bank What a Waste 3.0 · 2022 · reported treatment and disposal shares

Unaccounted94%

Recycling in treatment mix6%

National waste lawYes

National waste planNational Solid Waste Management Strategy For Zambia

Responsible institutionMinistry of Green Economy and Environment (MOGEE); Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA)

Producer responsibilityYes

EPR operating statusLegally-binding regulations in place

Deposit-return systemNot reported