The table illustrates information about the amount of total waste produced in million tonnes in six different countries, namely Ireland, Poland, Japan, Canada, Scotland, and the United States over the span of twelve years, commencing from 1988 to 2000.
Overall, almost all countries experienced upward trends, except for Ireland. The United States had the highest figure of total waste produced during the period, while the lowest figure recorded was Scotland’s total of just under 10 million tonnes until 2000.
In terms of Ireland, starting from 10 million tonnes in 1988, the amount of waste generated climbed significantly to 16 million tonnes in 1992. In the final year, the figure was a dramatic slump to 9.9 million tonnes, nearly the initial level.
By contrast, the remaining countries recorded overall increases, though at different rates. The waste production in Japan and the United States went up from 15 and 107 million tonnes in 1988 to 25 and 209 million tonnes in 2000, respectively. Meanwhile, Scotland, Poland, and Canada showed fluctuations, changing from 3, 10, and 15 million tonnes in 1988 to 5, 18, and 29 million tonnes at the end of the period, respectively.