Municipal waste generated in South Korea
South Korea: Municipal waste generated was 23.04 million in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
23.04 million
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
13th
of 80 countries
All-time high
23.04 million
in 2022
All-time low
16.95 million
in 2000
Years of data
23
2000–2022
Municipal waste generated in South Korea, 2000–2022
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 23.04 million for municipal waste generated in 2022. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.5% on the previous year and up 28.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, municipal waste generated in South Korea peaked at 23.04 million in 2022 and was at its lowest, 16.95 million, in 2000.
South Korea ranks 13th of 80 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Municipal waste generated in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 16.95 million | — |
| 2001 | 17.70 million | +4.4% |
| 2002 | 18.21 million | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 18.52 million | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 18.25 million | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 17.66 million | -3.2% |
| 2006 | 17.83 million | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 18.38 million | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 19.01 million | +3.4% |
| 2009 | 18.58 million | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 17.94 million | -3.4% |
| 2011 | 17.86 million | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 17.88 million | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 17.79 million | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 18.22 million | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 18.70 million | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 19.63 million | +4.9% |
| 2017 | 19.52 million | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 20.45 million | +4.8% |
| 2019 | 21.16 million | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 22.54 million | +6.6% |
| 2021 | 22.70 million | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 23.04 million | +1.5% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 23.04 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.12 million, 5.6× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 23.04 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 13.71 million, 1.7× the median. (10 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 18.11 million | 16.95 million | 19.01 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.92 million | 17.79 million | 21.16 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.76 million | 22.54 million | 23.04 million | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 11 Italy 28.84 million compare
- 12 Thailand 26.95 million compare
- 13 Republic of Korea 23.04 million compare
- 15 Spain 22.50 million compare
- 16 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 21.65 million compare
More environment data for South Korea
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2791 % 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 -2.27 % 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)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2415 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is municipal waste generated in South Korea?
- Municipal waste generated in South Korea was 23.04 million in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest municipal waste generated recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 23.04 million in 2022.
- What is the lowest municipal waste generated recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.95 million in 2000.
- How does South Korea rank for municipal waste generated?
- South Korea ranks 13th out of 80 countries with data for 2022.
- Is municipal waste generated rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).