In this article, we will look into the 20 countries that produce the most pollution in the world. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to the 5 Countries That Produce the Most Pollution in the World.
World Pollution Outlook
The relentless pursuit of economic growth is leading to a greater environmental footprint. According to the 2023 air quality report, only 10 out of the 134 countries reporting to IQ Air, met the WHO PM 2.5 limit of 5 μg/m3. The WHO reports that 6.7 million deaths are caused by exposure to poor ambient air quality every year. With the rising industrialization and urbanization, global GHG emissions are also skyrocketing, leading to an increase in the particulate matter concentration in the air along with greenhouse gases. Some of the countries with the worst air pollution in the world include Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India.
According to the CO2 Emissions in 2023 report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), global energy-related emissions increased by 1.1% in 2023, reaching 37.4 Gigatonnes. Fossil fuels are the biggest contributor to global GHG emissions and pollution. Coal had a share of over 65% in global emissions in 2023. China recorded the largest increase in emissions globally, amounting to 565 Mt in 2023. The per capita emissions in the country are 15% higher compared to advanced economies. Emissions in India increased by nearly 190 Mt, driven by its strong GDP growth. However, the per capita emissions in India are still lower than the world average. Qatar, UAE, and Bahrain are the top countries with the most carbon dioxide emissions per capita in the world.
Global land pollution is also increasing, with 2.3 billion tonnes of waste generated in 2023, according to the UN Global Waste Management Outlook 2024. The report forecasts that municipal solid waste generation will reach 3.8 billion tonnes by 2020. Due to poor waste collection practices, around 2.7 billion people do not have access to proper waste collection systems, amounting to 540 million tonnes of waste not being collected. Moreover, practices such as open dumping and burning of waste lead to serious health and environmental implications. According to the estimates by the report, between 400,000 and 1 million people die due to poor waste disposal and management practices. The waste generated leads to land, air, and water pollution affecting the planetary as well as human health. It also leads to poor sanitary conditions and deteriorating water quality. The global cost of municipal solid waste generation is expected to reach $640.3 billion by 2050. You can also look at countries that produce the most waste per capita.
Waste Management and Environmental Services Corporations
Waste management and environmental services corporations provide waste management and disposal solutions that can help minimize waste production and accumulation. Some of the companies providing these services include Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE:RSG), Casella Waste Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CWST), and GFL Environmental Inc. (NYSE:GFL). Let's discuss them in detail.
Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE:RSG) is one of the biggest waste management companies in the world. The company provides solutions including waste collection, recycling, disposal services, industrial water treatment, and landfill services. The company is continuously innovating its waste disposal and management solutions. In early 2023, the company announced the launch of its electric collection truck fleet. Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE:RSG) estimates that 50% of its trucks will be electric-powered by 2028. As of 2022, the company has processed 5 million tonnes of waste in recycling facilities and reduced emissions by 9% since 2017. On December 5, 2023, the company opened its polymer center, which is expected to produce 100 million pounds of recycled plastics for sustainable packaging annually. The center will reduce plastic waste and promote plastic circularity.
Casella Waste Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CWST) provides integrated resource management, recycling, and waste management solutions. Every year, the company recovers 1 million metric tonnes of recyclables and 400,000 tonnes of organic waste. As of 2023, the company has invested in 2 electric waste collection trucks, capable of preventing 156 metric tonnes of emissions annually. Casella Waste Systems, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:CWST) disposal facilities also produce biogas, enough to power 30,000 households.
GFL Environmental Inc. (NYSE:GFL) is a solid and liquid waste management company, providing services to more than 4 million homes and 135,000 industrial and commercial customers in the US and Canada. The company has over 90 landfills, 170 transfer stations, 35 material recovery facilities, and 7,500 waste trucks. In 2022, the company achieved a huge milestone of preventing 12.5 million tonnes of GHG emissions, equivalent to eliminating 1.8 million gas-powered vehicles from the road. The company also provides water treatment solutions. In 2022, it treated 892 million liters of water. GFL Environmental Inc. (NYSE:GFL) managed 3.5 million tonnes of organics and recyclables in 2022.
With this context, let's look at the 20 countries that produce the most pollution in the world.
20 Countries that Produce the Most Pollution in the World
A large industrial smokestack, its emissions being reduced with an innovative pollution control system.
Methodology
To compile our list of the 20 countries that produce the most pollution in the world, we consulted IQ Air's Air Quality Index, to identify the most polluted countries based on their annual average PM2.5 concentration. Then, we employed additional metrics such as total waste generation, GHG emissions production, and water and sanitation levels. We obtained the total waste generation data from the World Bank What a Waste database, and summed all types of waste to obtain the total waste produced.
We then sourced water and sanitation scores from the Environment Performance Index (EPI) and GHG emissions data from Climate Watch. We have used water and sanitation levels as an indirect measure of a country's pollution, meaning that a country producing pollution will have poor water and sanitation levels.
Finally, we assigned ranks to countries based on all four indicators. Then, we allocated percent weights to our metrics as 40% to GHG emissions, 30% to total waste generation, 20% to the air quality index, and 10% to the water and sanitation level. Our list ranks the 20 countries that produce the most pollution in the world in descending order of their calculated Insider Monkey Scores.
20 Countries that Produce the Most Pollution in the World
20. Saudi Arabia
Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (2023): 26.5 μg/m3
Total Waste Generation (2018): 17.35 Mega tonnes per year
Total GHG Emissions (2020): 712.59 Mega tonnes of CO2e
EPI Water and Sanitation Score (2020): 59.3
Insider Monkey Score: 39.2
Saudi Arabia is ranked among the countries that produce the most pollution in the world. The country generated 17.35 mega tonnes of waste in 2018.
19. Malaysia
Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (2023): 22.5 μg/m3
Total Waste Generation (2018): 59.03 Mega tonnes per year
Total GHG Emissions (2020): 367.76 Mega tonnes of CO2e
EPI Water and Sanitation Score (2020): 57.6
Insider Monkey Score: 38.5
Malaysia is ranked 19th on our list. The country produced 367.76 mega tonnes tonnes of CO2e in 2020. It had a water and sanitation score of 57.6 in 2020.
18. Japan
Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (2023): 9.6 μg/m3
Total Waste Generation (2018): 547.79 Mega tonnes per year
Total GHG Emissions (2020): 1.06 Giga tonnes of CO2e
EPI Water and Sanitation Score (2020): 95
Insider Monkey Score: 38.0
Japan is placed 18th on our list. The country generated 547.79 mega tonnes of waste in 2018. It is one of the biggest producers of GHG emissions in the world.
17. Turkey
Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (2023): 20.3 μg/m3
Total Waste Generation (2018): 39.43 Mega tonnes per year
Total GHG Emissions (2020): 476.34 Mega tonnes of CO2e
EPI Water and Sanitation Score (2020): 52.6
Insider Monkey Score: 37.5
Turkey generated 476.34 mega tonnes of CO2e in 2020. The country has a 4.1 times higher PM2.5 concentration, compared to the WHO guidelines. It ranks 17th on our list.
16. Canada
Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (2023): 10.3 μg/m3
Total Waste Generation (2018): 1.33 Giga tonnes per year
Total GHG Emissions (2020): 731.54 Mega tonnes of CO2e
EPI Water and Sanitation Score (2020): 88
Insider Monkey Score: 36.9
Canada is one of the countries that produce the most pollution in the world. In 2018, the country produced 1.33 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide.
15. United States
Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (2023): 9.1 μg/m3
Total Waste Generation (2018): 8.43 Giga tonnes per year
Total GHG Emissions (2020): 5.29 Giga tonnes of CO2e
EPI Water and Sanitation Score (2020): 86.1
Insider Monkey Score: 36.0
The United States is one of the biggest emitters of GHG emissions in the world. In 2020, it emitted 5.39 gigatonnes of CO2e. As of 2023, the annual average particulate matter concentration in the country is 9.1 μg/m3. It is ranked 13th on our list.
14. South Korea
Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (2023): 19.2 μg/m3
Total Waste Generation (2018): 128.95 Mega tonnes per year
Total GHG Emissions (2020): 613.54 Mega tonnes of CO2e
EPI Water and Sanitation Score (2020): 90.7
Insider Monkey Score: 35.9
South Korea is one of the biggest polluters in the world. In 2018, the country produced 128.95 mega tonnes of waste. The country has a PM2.5 concentration of 19.2 μg/m3, as of 2023.
13. Russia
Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (2023): 10 μg/m3
Total Waste Generation (2018): 171.39 Mega tonnes per year
Total GHG Emissions (2020): 1.79 Giga tonnes of CO2e
EPI Water and Sanitation Score (2020): 55.4
Insider Monkey Score: 35.8
Russia produced 1.79 gigatonnes of GHG emissions in 2020. It is also one of the largest waste producers in the world and is ranked 13th on our list.
12. Vietnam
Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (2023): 29.6 μg/m3
Total Waste Generation (2018): 211.50 Mega tonnes per year
Total GHG Emissions (2020): 458.14 Mega tonnes of CO2e
EPI Water and Sanitation Score (2020): 52.7
Insider Monkey Score: 35.4
Vietnam produced 458.14 megatonnes of GHG emissions in 2020. The country has a relatively low score on the water and sanitation index. It is one of the biggest waste producers in the world.
11. Mexico
Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (2023): 20.1 μg/m3
Total Waste Generation (2018): 60.07 Mega tonnes per year
Total GHG Emissions (2020): 609.07 Mega tonnes of CO2e
EPI Water and Sanitation Score (2020): 52.8
Insider Monkey Score: 35.1
Mexico ranks 11th on our list of the countries that produce the most pollution. In 2020, the country emitted 609.07 megatonnes of CO2e. The country has a PM2.5 concentration of 20.1 μg/m3, as of 2023.
10. Brazil
Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (2023): 12.6 μg/m3
Total Waste Generation (2018): 125.89 Mega tonnes per year
Total GHG Emissions (2020): 1.47 Giga tonnes of CO2e
EPI Water and Sanitation Score (2020): 46.1
Insider Monkey Score: 34.7
Brazil is one of the biggest polluters in the world. In 2020, the country emitted 1.47 gigatonnes of GHG emissions. It is ranked 10th on our list.
9. South Africa
Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (2023): 19.9 μg/m3
Total Waste Generation (2018): 20.09 Mega tonnes per year
Total GHG Emissions (2020): 508.38 Mega tonnes of CO2e
EPI Water and Sanitation Score (2020): 24.6
Insider Monkey Score: 34.5
South Africa produced 508.38 megatonnes of CO2e in 2020. It had a low sanitation score of 24.6 in 2020. It is ranked 9th on our list of the countries that produce the most pollution in the world.
8. Thailand
Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (2023): 23.3 μg/m3
Total Waste Generation (2018): 151.46 Mega tonnes per year
Total GHG Emissions (2020): 451.42 Mega tonnes of CO2e
EPI Water and Sanitation Score (2020): 55.8
Insider Monkey Score: 30.9
Thailand is one of the biggest producers of waste in the world. In 2020, the country emitted 451.42 mega tonnes of CO2e. Its PM2.5 concentration is 23.3 μg/m3, as of 2023.
7. Egypt
Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (2023): 42.4 μg/m3
Total Waste Generation (2018): 61.90 Mega tonnes per year
Total GHG Emissions (2020): 299.96 Mega tonnes of CO2e
EPI Water and Sanitation Score (2020): 36.6
Insider Monkey Score: 28.4
Egypt is one of the biggest polluters in the world. In 2020, the country generated 299.96 megatonnes of GHG emissions. It is ranked 7th on our list.
6. Nigeria
Annual Average PM2.5 Concentration (2023): 23.9 μg/m3
Total Waste Generation (2018): 27.89 Mega tonnes per year
Total GHG Emissions (2020): 369.38 Mega tonnes of CO2e
EPI Water and Sanitation Score (2020): 4.9
Insider Monkey Score: 28.4
Nigeria is ranked 6th on our list of the countries that produce the most pollution in the world. In 2020, the country generated 369.38 megatonnes of CO2e. It also had an extremely low water sanitation score in 2020.