Municipal waste collected in China
China: Municipal waste collected was 254.08 million in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
254.08 million
Change on year
up 3.9%
World rank
1st
of 108 countries
All-time high
254.08 million
in 2023
All-time low
118.19 million
in 2000
Years of data
24
2000–2023
Municipal waste collected in China, 2000–2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
China recorded 254.08 million for municipal waste collected in 2023. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.9% on the previous year and up 47.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, municipal waste collected in China peaked at 254.08 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 118.19 million, in 2000.
China ranks 1st of 108 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Municipal waste collected in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 118.19 million | — |
| 2001 | 134.70 million | +14.0% |
| 2002 | 136.50 million | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 148.57 million | +8.8% |
| 2004 | 155.09 million | +4.4% |
| 2005 | 155.77 million | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 148.41 million | -4.7% |
| 2007 | 152.15 million | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 154.38 million | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 157.34 million | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 158.05 million | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 163.95 million | +3.7% |
| 2012 | 170.81 million | +4.2% |
| 2013 | 172.39 million | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 178.60 million | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 191.42 million | +7.2% |
| 2016 | 203.62 million | +6.4% |
| 2017 | 215.21 million | +5.7% |
| 2018 | 228.02 million | +6.0% |
| 2019 | 242.06 million | +6.2% |
| 2020 | 235.12 million | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 248.69 million | +5.8% |
| 2022 | 244.45 million | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 254.08 million | +3.9% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 254.08 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.88 million, 135.4× the median. (32 countries reporting)
- China's 254.08 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.33 million, 190.4× the median. (10 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 146.11 million | 118.19 million | 157.34 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 192.41 million | 158.05 million | 242.06 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 245.58 million | 235.12 million | 254.08 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More environment data for China
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.279 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.92 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 5.29 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.8065 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.2517 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is municipal waste collected in China?
- Municipal waste collected in China was 254.08 million in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest municipal waste collected recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 254.08 million in 2023.
- What is the lowest municipal waste collected recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 118.19 million in 2000.
- How does China rank for municipal waste collected?
- China ranks 1st out of 108 countries with data for 2023.
- Is municipal waste collected rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Municipal waste collected (Tonnes). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).