Treatment of hazardous waste in India
India: Treatment of hazardous waste was 2.35 million tonnes in 2023. ▼ Falling
Treatment of hazardous waste in India, 2000–2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division and United Nations Environment Programme – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
India recorded 2.35 million tonnes for treatment of hazardous waste in 2023.
That represents a change of up 43.8% on the previous year and down 27.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, treatment of hazardous waste in India peaked at 3.98 million tonnes in 2011 and was at its lowest, 1.00 million tonnes, in 2017.
India ranks 10th of 72 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Treatment of hazardous waste in India, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1.43 million tonnes | — |
| 2008 | 3.09 million tonnes | +116.1% |
| 2011 | 3.98 million tonnes | +28.9% |
| 2014 | 3.25 million tonnes | -18.2% |
| 2015 | 3.15 million tonnes | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 1.09 million tonnes | -65.4% |
| 2017 | 1.00 million tonnes | -8.4% |
| 2018 | 1.22 million tonnes | +21.6% |
| 2019 | 1.30 million tonnes | +6.5% |
| 2020 | 1.23 million tonnes | -5.4% |
| 2021 | 1.44 million tonnes | +17.3% |
| 2022 | 1.64 million tonnes | +13.9% |
| 2023 | 2.35 million tonnes | +43.8% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 2.35 million tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2,692 tonnes, 874.3× the median. (7 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.26 million tonnes | 1.43 million tonnes | 3.09 million tonnes | 2 |
| 2010s | 2.14 million tonnes | 1.00 million tonnes | 3.98 million tonnes | 7 |
| 2020s | 1.66 million tonnes | 1.23 million tonnes | 2.35 million tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
More environment data for India
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 11.05 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 12.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.254 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.954 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 17.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.92 % 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 1.12 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is treatment of hazardous waste in India?
- Treatment of hazardous waste in India was 2.35 million tonnes in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division and United Nations Environment Programme – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest treatment of hazardous waste recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 3.98 million tonnes in 2011.
- What is the lowest treatment of hazardous waste recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.00 million tonnes in 2017.
- How does India rank for treatment of hazardous waste?
- India ranks 10th out of 72 countries with data for 2023.
- Is treatment of hazardous waste rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division and United Nations Environment Programme – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Treatment of hazardous waste. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Hazardous waste treated, by type of treatment (Tonnes).