The pie charts illustrate the proportions of various types of waste disposed in one country in the years 1960 and 2011.
Overall, while most categories declined, only plastic and food waste increased over the period. Moreover, in 1960, paper made up the largest share of waste disposal, whereas by 2011, food and plastic waste had become the most overwhelming types of waste.
In 1960, paper accounted for the largest amount of waste disposal, contributing 25%, followed by texttiles waste at 17%. Food and the “other” category each made up 12%, with green waste at 9%. Smaller proportions comprised plastic and metal (both 8%), glass at 5% and wood at just 4%.
By 2011, food and plastic waste increased significantly to 21% and 18%, becoming the two leading waste type. By contrast, paper, textitiles and the “other” waste experienced a downward trend, decling to 15%, 11% and 4%, respectively. Green waste and metal each held steady at 9%; wood, enjoying a modest uptick, edged up to 8%, and glass remained constant at 5%.