Abstract:
The World Bank has conservatively estimated
that 33% of global waste is managed in an
environmentally unsafe way (Kaza et al.
2018). Waste generation could nearly double
by 2050 with generation per capita expected
to increase by 40% in low- and middle-income
countries, many of which are growing at an
unsustainable pace with limited resources
dedicated to waste management.
YouthMappers creating local geospatial data
about sites of illegal trash dumping can play a
key role in mitigating impacts and improving
waste management, and in turn, impact public
health. Several of the UN SDGs are supported
by creating and sustaining a clean, healthy
environment, particularly in this case, SDG 12
Responsible Consumption and Production
and ultimately, SDG 3 Health. A novel tool,
Wastesites.io, has been initiated to leverage
youth action and connectivity of YouthMappers
in order to solve these challenges together.