The table illustrates the total amount of waste produced, measured in million tonnes, in six different countries across three years: 1988, 1992, and 2000.
Overall, the amount of waste produced in Ireland declined over the period, while other countries generally experienced an increase. The United States remained the largest producer of waste throughout all three years.
In terms of rising waste production, noticeable increases were seen in most countries over the period, except for Ireland. The amount of waste in the United States increased significantly from 107 million tonnes in 1988 to 209 million tonnes in 2000, making it the country with the highest level of waste production throughout the period. Waste levels also rose in Japan, Canada, and Scotland, although their increases were more moderate compared to the United States.
In contrast, Ireland was the only country that experienced an overall decline in waste production, dropping from 10 million tonnes in 1988 to 9.9 million tonnes in 2000, despite a temporary rise in 1992. Poland, on the other hand, showed a sharp drop from 10 million tonnes in 1988 to just 2.89 million tonnes in 1992, followed by a significant rebound to 18 million tonnes by 2000.