Waste management outlook for mountain regions

What is it about?

Mountain regions present unique challenges to waste management; while remoteness is often associated with costly and difficult transport of waste, the potential impact of waste pollutants is higher owing to the steep terrain and rivers transporting waste downstream. This short communication provides an overview of the key findings of the "Waste management outlook for mountain regions: Sources and solutions" and highlights aspects that need further research. These are grouped per source of waste: Mountain communities, tourism, and mining. Issues such as waste crime, plastic pollution, and the linkages between exposure to natural disasters and waste are also presented.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

Mountains provide various ecosystem goods and services, such as fresh water, food and energy for both mountain and lowland communities. However, increasing impact of waste owing to growing tourism, changes in consumption and production patterns, mining operations, illegal waste practices and urban sprawl threaten the continuity and quality of mountain ecosystem resources and services. Our findings show that waste management in mountain regions is a cross-sectoral issue of global concern that deserves immediate attention.