How can we tackle the global waste crisis before it becomes irreversible?

With more than two billion tonnes of solid waste generated worldwide, waste management has become one of the defining challenges of our time. In this discussion, Vincent Woon Kok Sin, researcher at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), explores how smarter systems and data-driven approaches can reduce emissions and support more sustainable cities.

Kok explains that solid waste — from plastics and e-waste to food and organic materials - requires different treatment pathways, yet many regions still rely on open landfills that release large amounts of greenhouse gases. Using AI-based modeling, his research helps forecast carbon dioxide and methane emissions from the waste sector, offering practical insights tailored to both high- and low-income countries.

He highlights scalable solutions such as composting, anaerobic digestion, and landfill gas capture, showing that methane emissions could be reduced by up to 80% if existing technologies were implemented now. While the tools already exist, Kok stresses that urgent action is what’s missing.

This conversation is essential for anyone working in environmental science, waste management, and climate action.