Waste Management Report 2026: Towards a circular and sustainable solid waste management

“Managing waste more sustainably is not only an environmental responsibility, but also an opportunity to rethink how humanitarian supply chains operate. By working with local actors and the private sector, we can explore solutions that create economic value, improve resource efficiency and generate livelihood opportunities for refugees and host communities.”

Ben Safari, Head of UNHCR Supply Management Service

UNHCR’s humanitarian response generates an estimated 750+ kilo-tonnes of waste per year. Rather than a simple disposal challenge, this waste could be seen as a resource. That’s the rationale behind the UNHCR Supply Management Service’s pilot project exploring how plastic waste can re-enter value chains through reuse, recovery and recycling. 
 

This report captures findings from the project’s Phase One assessment conducted in three pilot countries: Ethiopia, Mauritania, and Chad. This assessment found that local solutions work best when built on existing waste-management actors, recycling ecosystems, and market opportunities rather than introducing entirely new solutions. 
 

Based on these findings, the report identifies opportunities to strengthen value chains and test new models that can attract private-sector expertise, technology, and investment, while improving waste management outcomes for both displaced people and host communities. 

Read a two-pager on the report by clicking the link above. Find the full report and executive summary here.