Municipal waste generated in Australia

Australia: Municipal waste generated was 13.48 million tonnes in 2023. β–¬ Flat

Latest (2023)
13.48 million tonnes
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
16th
of 75 countries
All-time high
14.19 million tonnes
in 2015
All-time low
12.73 million tonnes
in 2007
Years of data
18
2000–2023

Municipal waste generated in Australia, 2000–2023

05.0M10.0M15.0M2000201120232000: 13.2M tonnes2007: 12.7M tonnes2008: 13.1M tonnes2009: 13.1M tonnes2010: 13.5M tonnes2011: 13.3M tonnes2012: 13.6M tonnes2013: 13.7M tonnes2014: 14.1M tonnes2015: 14.2M tonnes2016: 13.4M tonnes2017: 12.9M tonnes2018: 12.9M tonnes2019: 12.9M tonnes2020: 13.2M tonnes2021: 13.5M tonnes2022: 13.6M tonnes2023: 13.5M tonnes

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in tonnes.

Analysis

The most recent figure for municipal waste generated in Australia is 13.48 million tonnes, measured in 2023.

The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 1.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, municipal waste generated in Australia peaked at 14.19 million tonnes in 2015 and was at its lowest, 12.73 million tonnes, in 2007.

That places Australia 16th out of 75 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 13.04 million tonnes 12.73 million tonnes 13.20 million tonnes 4
2010s 13.44 million tonnes 12.85 million tonnes 14.19 million tonnes 10
2020s 13.44 million tonnes 13.20 million tonnes 13.63 million tonnes 4

Countries ranked near Australia

  1. 13 Philippines 21.02 million tonnes compare
  2. 14 Argentina 19.33 million tonnes compare
  3. 15 Malaysia 13.94 million tonnes compare
  4. 17 Poland 13.45 million tonnes compare
  5. 18 Colombia 12.08 million tonnes compare
  6. 19 Algeria 11.07 million tonnes compare

See the full ranking of 77 places β†’

More environment data for Australia

All data for Australia β†’

Frequently asked questions

What is municipal waste generated in Australia?
Municipal waste generated in Australia was 13.48 million tonnes in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest municipal waste generated recorded in Australia?
The highest recorded value was 14.19 million tonnes in 2015.
What is the lowest municipal waste generated recorded in Australia?
The lowest recorded value was 12.73 million tonnes in 2007.
How does Australia rank for municipal waste generated?
Australia ranks 16th out of 75 countries with data for 2023.
Is municipal waste generated rising or falling in Australia?
Over the last ten years it is down 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Australia data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Municipal waste generated (Tonnes). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Municipal waste generated in Australia. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 15 August 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/municipal-waste-generated-tonnes/australia/

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About this data

Indicator
Municipal waste generated (Tonnes)
Unit
tonnes
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
77 places, 1,389 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed