The provided table illustrates the amount of waste produced in six distinct nations between the years 1980 and 2000, measured in millions of tonnes.
Overall, the United States holds the largest share of waste production, while Portugal and Ireland produce the least among the six countries.
In 1980, Ireland and Portugal produced only minimal waste, with Ireland generating less than a million tonnes of garbage and Portugal producing 2 million tonnes. In contrast, the United States produced over hundreds of millions of tonnes of waste, surpassing the combined total of all other countries.
The same trend continued over the following two decades. While Ireland’s data was unavailable, Portugal emerged as the lowest producer. In 1990, Portugal generated 3 million tonnes, which was matched by Ireland a few years later, with both countries producing 5 million tonnes. The United States remained the highest producer, nearing 200 million tonnes by the year 2000.