Waste production is a complex parameter that depends on many other variables, such as the economic situation, the legal instruments implemented, the evolution of environmental awareness among citizens, tourism, etc.
GDP is one of the parameters that is observed to have a closer relationship with waste generation.
Evolution of the waste production and anual GDP of Catalonia
Source:Catalan Statistics Institute and Catalan Waste Agency
GDP and waste generation are magnitudes that clearly have a positive correlation, that is, if the GDP increases, so does the generation of waste (as richer is a territory, more waste is generated), and vice versa.
For this reason, the decoupling between economic growth and waste generation is one of the main strategies set by the European Union in terms of waste prevention.