Does Germany produce more waste than the US? The 2019 Stack Overflow Developer Survey Results Are InDoes recycling create more pollution than it prevents?Are there alternative methods of meat production (such as free-range meat) that are better for the environment than factory farmed meat?Does lead used in electronics leach into the environment via landfill at detrimental levels?Are guns in the USA used 80 times more often to protect life than to take it?Is it actually beneficial to reduce water consumption?Did Canada go from 2.5 million protected lakes and rivers, to just 159?Was the Jewish flag one of only two flags allowed in Nazi Germany?Is Donald Trump forcing the EPA to take down all climate change information?Did the Trump administration issue a blackout to the EPA?Is Netherlands no longer able to start war without permission from Germany?
Output the Arecibo Message
Is Cinnamon a desktop environment or a window manager? (Or both?)
Does HR tell a hiring manager about salary negotiations?
Cooking pasta in a water boiler
What is preventing me from simply constructing a hash that's lower than the current target?
What is the most efficient way to store a numeric range?
How to translate "being like"?
What does Linus Torvalds mean when he says that Git "never ever" tracks a file?
What to do when moving next to a bird sanctuary with a loosely-domesticated cat?
Can an undergraduate be advised by a professor who is very far away?
If I score a critical hit on an 18 or higher, what are my chances of getting a critical hit if I roll 3d20?
How to quickly solve partial fractions equation?
Why can I use a list index as an indexing variable in a for loop?
Can we generate random numbers using irrational numbers like π and e?
How come people say “Would of”?
RequirePermission not working
Can a flute soloist sit?
Why don't hard Brexiteers insist on a hard border to prevent illegal immigration after Brexit?
Did the UK government pay "millions and millions of dollars" to try to snag Julian Assange?
Variable with quotation marks "$()"
How did passengers keep warm on sail ships?
Is it ok to offer lower paid work as a trial period before negotiating for a full-time job?
Mathematics of imaging the black hole
How to type a long/em dash `—`
Does Germany produce more waste than the US?
The 2019 Stack Overflow Developer Survey Results Are InDoes recycling create more pollution than it prevents?Are there alternative methods of meat production (such as free-range meat) that are better for the environment than factory farmed meat?Does lead used in electronics leach into the environment via landfill at detrimental levels?Are guns in the USA used 80 times more often to protect life than to take it?Is it actually beneficial to reduce water consumption?Did Canada go from 2.5 million protected lakes and rivers, to just 159?Was the Jewish flag one of only two flags allowed in Nazi Germany?Is Donald Trump forcing the EPA to take down all climate change information?Did the Trump administration issue a blackout to the EPA?Is Netherlands no longer able to start war without permission from Germany?
According to the German Environment Agency, Germany produced 411 million tons of waste in 2016. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the US produced about 260 million US tons (236 million metric tons).
Are these numbers correct? Are they comparable measurements?
united-states environment germany
edited Apr 3 at 9:23
Sklivvz♦
63.8k25297412
asked Mar 30 at 21:12
MaximMaxim
6132713
|
show 2 more comments
According to the German Environment Agency, Germany produced 411 million tons of waste in 2016. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the US produced about 260 million US tons (236 million metric tons).
Are these numbers correct? Are they comparable measurements?
united-states environment germany
edited Apr 3 at 9:23
Sklivvz♦
63.8k25297412
asked Mar 30 at 21:12
MaximMaxim
6132713
5
So the actual claim (Germany produces more waste than the US) is yours and yours alone?
– Dmitry Grigoryev
Apr 2 at 7:42
4
@DmitryGrigoryev: No...?!? He's quoting his sources for 411 million tons / Germany vs. 260 million tons / USA right there in the question? (Apples and oranges notwithstanding, as Barry pointed out.)
– DevSolar
Apr 2 at 8:59
3
@DevSolar your argument would allow arbitrary questions! Just because the data sources are vaguely related, there still is no proof of a notable claim that "Germany produces more waste than the US", except this question itself.
– Alexander Kosubek
Apr 2 at 9:32
4
I think this question doesn't fit the notability requirements for Skeptics. It's a good question though for environmental sciences, which has its own stack earthscience.stackexchange.com/tour Pollution control is part of environmental science, if Wikipedia is correct. And they do have a pollution tag on the aforementioned stack.
– Fizz
Apr 2 at 10:59
1
@DevSolar If I'm not mistaken, neither of the sources makes a comparison between the US and Germany. The question asks to verify specifically this comparison, not the numbers present in the sources.
– Dmitry Grigoryev
Apr 2 at 11:54
|
show 2 more comments
According to the German Environment Agency, Germany produced 411 million tons of waste in 2016. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the US produced about 260 million US tons (236 million metric tons).
Are these numbers correct? Are they comparable measurements?
united-states environment germany
edited Apr 3 at 9:23
Sklivvz♦
63.8k25297412
asked Mar 30 at 21:12
MaximMaxim
6132713
According to the German Environment Agency, Germany produced 411 million tons of waste in 2016. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the US produced about 260 million US tons (236 million metric tons).
Are these numbers correct? Are they comparable measurements?
united-states environment germany
united-states environment germany
edited Apr 3 at 9:23
Sklivvz♦
63.8k25297412
asked Mar 30 at 21:12
MaximMaxim
6132713
edited Apr 3 at 9:23
Sklivvz♦
63.8k25297412
asked Mar 30 at 21:12
MaximMaxim
6132713
edited Apr 3 at 9:23
Sklivvz♦
63.8k25297412
edited Apr 3 at 9:23
Sklivvz♦
63.8k25297412
edited Apr 3 at 9:23
Sklivvz♦
63.8k25297412
63.8k25297412
asked Mar 30 at 21:12
MaximMaxim
6132713
asked Mar 30 at 21:12
MaximMaxim
6132713
asked Mar 30 at 21:12
MaximMaxim
6132713
6132713
5
So the actual claim (Germany produces more waste than the US) is yours and yours alone?
– Dmitry Grigoryev
Apr 2 at 7:42
4
@DmitryGrigoryev: No...?!? He's quoting his sources for 411 million tons / Germany vs. 260 million tons / USA right there in the question? (Apples and oranges notwithstanding, as Barry pointed out.)
– DevSolar
Apr 2 at 8:59
3
@DevSolar your argument would allow arbitrary questions! Just because the data sources are vaguely related, there still is no proof of a notable claim that "Germany produces more waste than the US", except this question itself.
– Alexander Kosubek
Apr 2 at 9:32
4
I think this question doesn't fit the notability requirements for Skeptics. It's a good question though for environmental sciences, which has its own stack earthscience.stackexchange.com/tour Pollution control is part of environmental science, if Wikipedia is correct. And they do have a pollution tag on the aforementioned stack.
– Fizz
Apr 2 at 10:59
1
@DevSolar If I'm not mistaken, neither of the sources makes a comparison between the US and Germany. The question asks to verify specifically this comparison, not the numbers present in the sources.
– Dmitry Grigoryev
Apr 2 at 11:54
|
show 2 more comments
5
So the actual claim (Germany produces more waste than the US) is yours and yours alone?
– Dmitry Grigoryev
Apr 2 at 7:42
4
@DmitryGrigoryev: No...?!? He's quoting his sources for 411 million tons / Germany vs. 260 million tons / USA right there in the question? (Apples and oranges notwithstanding, as Barry pointed out.)
– DevSolar
Apr 2 at 8:59
3
@DevSolar your argument would allow arbitrary questions! Just because the data sources are vaguely related, there still is no proof of a notable claim that "Germany produces more waste than the US", except this question itself.
– Alexander Kosubek
Apr 2 at 9:32
4
I think this question doesn't fit the notability requirements for Skeptics. It's a good question though for environmental sciences, which has its own stack earthscience.stackexchange.com/tour Pollution control is part of environmental science, if Wikipedia is correct. And they do have a pollution tag on the aforementioned stack.
– Fizz
Apr 2 at 10:59
1
@DevSolar If I'm not mistaken, neither of the sources makes a comparison between the US and Germany. The question asks to verify specifically this comparison, not the numbers present in the sources.
– Dmitry Grigoryev
Apr 2 at 11:54
5
5
So the actual claim (Germany produces more waste than the US) is yours and yours alone?
– Dmitry Grigoryev
Apr 2 at 7:42
So the actual claim (Germany produces more waste than the US) is yours and yours alone?
– Dmitry Grigoryev
Apr 2 at 7:42
4
4
@DmitryGrigoryev: No...?!? He's quoting his sources for 411 million tons / Germany vs. 260 million tons / USA right there in the question? (Apples and oranges notwithstanding, as Barry pointed out.)
– DevSolar
Apr 2 at 8:59
@DmitryGrigoryev: No...?!? He's quoting his sources for 411 million tons / Germany vs. 260 million tons / USA right there in the question? (Apples and oranges notwithstanding, as Barry pointed out.)
– DevSolar
Apr 2 at 8:59
3
3
@DevSolar your argument would allow arbitrary questions! Just because the data sources are vaguely related, there still is no proof of a notable claim that "Germany produces more waste than the US", except this question itself.
– Alexander Kosubek
Apr 2 at 9:32
@DevSolar your argument would allow arbitrary questions! Just because the data sources are vaguely related, there still is no proof of a notable claim that "Germany produces more waste than the US", except this question itself.
– Alexander Kosubek
Apr 2 at 9:32
4
4
I think this question doesn't fit the notability requirements for Skeptics. It's a good question though for environmental sciences, which has its own stack earthscience.stackexchange.com/tour Pollution control is part of environmental science, if Wikipedia is correct. And they do have a pollution tag on the aforementioned stack.
– Fizz
Apr 2 at 10:59
I think this question doesn't fit the notability requirements for Skeptics. It's a good question though for environmental sciences, which has its own stack earthscience.stackexchange.com/tour Pollution control is part of environmental science, if Wikipedia is correct. And they do have a pollution tag on the aforementioned stack.
– Fizz
Apr 2 at 10:59
1
1
@DevSolar If I'm not mistaken, neither of the sources makes a comparison between the US and Germany. The question asks to verify specifically this comparison, not the numbers present in the sources.
– Dmitry Grigoryev
Apr 2 at 11:54
@DevSolar If I'm not mistaken, neither of the sources makes a comparison between the US and Germany. The question asks to verify specifically this comparison, not the numbers present in the sources.
– Dmitry Grigoryev
Apr 2 at 11:54
|
show 2 more comments
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
The reason for this discrepancy is because the data from the Umweltbundesamt includes construction and demolition waste (see figure below and surrounding text on your linked webpage) whereas the data from the EPA "does not include everything that is landfilled in MSW, or nonhazardous, landfills, such as construction and demolition (C&D) debris, municipal wastewater sludge, and other non-hazardous industrial wastes." The EPA data you cited only includes "trash, or municipal solid waste (MSW), as various items consumers throw away after they are used."
If you are interested in data for just municipal solid waste (like in the EPA website), @Milster has recommended this Statista page where it is shown that Germany has produced 51.05 million metric tons of MSW in 2017 whereas the Unites States has produced 258 million metric tons. Thus, the US produced 5 times as much municipal solid waste as Germany in 2017. The Statista values for US MSW in 2017 approximately agree with the EPA figure (below).
When evaluating the raw numerical data, keep in mind that the US population is 4 times the German population (source, source). The average person in the US produces 0.79 metric tons (790 kg) of MSW a year and the average person in Germany produces 0.62 metric tons (620 kg) of MSW a year. In other words, "the US is only 25% worse, or Germany 20% better (@Deduplicator)."
Is it true that a country with smaller GDP and a quarter of the population produces so much more waste?
No, Germany does not produce "so much more" Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) than the US.
Does the US not classify certain kinds as waste?
The cited EPA report only classifies MSW and does not include all other types of wastes.
Are the numbers comparable measurements?
No, the numbers are not comparable measurements. Certain types of waste are not included in the cited EPA numbers.
answered Mar 30 at 22:09
Barry HarrisonBarry Harrison
2,41411038
7
Also (if you want to compare american individual's wastefulness) remember that in certain parts of the US burning your (plastic) waste is still common practice, whereas in Germany it is not, leading to a higher reported waste as well
– Hobbamok
Apr 1 at 8:41
3
If US counts only a subset of landfill and Germany counts waste where it is collected, then it is not a fair comparison because in Germany only the remainders of burned general waste (unrecycled) is landfilled.
– Radio Controlled
Apr 1 at 11:15
3
@Hobbamok From what I can understand, MSW includes all waste consumers throw out, regardless of how the waste is later managed (e.g. through incineration). The final statistics are comparisons of MSW and only MSW.
– Barry Harrison
Apr 1 at 13:18
2
@Yakk Wait, in what way is it a better metric? That kind of depends on what you're trying to measure and why, and it certainly doesn't have any obvious relation to the question being asked here.
– Cubic
Apr 2 at 10:02
2
@Yakk We're talking about total produced waste, not what we do when we have it. Yes, if you're very densely populated it's more difficult to get rid of the same amount of waste than if you have tons of extra space, but that wasn't what the question was about.
– Cubic
Apr 2 at 11:30
|
show 16 more comments
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
The reason for this discrepancy is because the data from the Umweltbundesamt includes construction and demolition waste (see figure below and surrounding text on your linked webpage) whereas the data from the EPA "does not include everything that is landfilled in MSW, or nonhazardous, landfills, such as construction and demolition (C&D) debris, municipal wastewater sludge, and other non-hazardous industrial wastes." The EPA data you cited only includes "trash, or municipal solid waste (MSW), as various items consumers throw away after they are used."
If you are interested in data for just municipal solid waste (like in the EPA website), @Milster has recommended this Statista page where it is shown that Germany has produced 51.05 million metric tons of MSW in 2017 whereas the Unites States has produced 258 million metric tons. Thus, the US produced 5 times as much municipal solid waste as Germany in 2017. The Statista values for US MSW in 2017 approximately agree with the EPA figure (below).
When evaluating the raw numerical data, keep in mind that the US population is 4 times the German population (source, source). The average person in the US produces 0.79 metric tons (790 kg) of MSW a year and the average person in Germany produces 0.62 metric tons (620 kg) of MSW a year. In other words, "the US is only 25% worse, or Germany 20% better (@Deduplicator)."
Is it true that a country with smaller GDP and a quarter of the population produces so much more waste?
No, Germany does not produce "so much more" Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) than the US.
Does the US not classify certain kinds as waste?
The cited EPA report only classifies MSW and does not include all other types of wastes.
Are the numbers comparable measurements?
No, the numbers are not comparable measurements. Certain types of waste are not included in the cited EPA numbers.
answered Mar 30 at 22:09
Barry HarrisonBarry Harrison
2,41411038
7
Also (if you want to compare american individual's wastefulness) remember that in certain parts of the US burning your (plastic) waste is still common practice, whereas in Germany it is not, leading to a higher reported waste as well
– Hobbamok
Apr 1 at 8:41
3
If US counts only a subset of landfill and Germany counts waste where it is collected, then it is not a fair comparison because in Germany only the remainders of burned general waste (unrecycled) is landfilled.
– Radio Controlled
Apr 1 at 11:15
3
@Hobbamok From what I can understand, MSW includes all waste consumers throw out, regardless of how the waste is later managed (e.g. through incineration). The final statistics are comparisons of MSW and only MSW.
– Barry Harrison
Apr 1 at 13:18
2
@Yakk Wait, in what way is it a better metric? That kind of depends on what you're trying to measure and why, and it certainly doesn't have any obvious relation to the question being asked here.
– Cubic
Apr 2 at 10:02
2
@Yakk We're talking about total produced waste, not what we do when we have it. Yes, if you're very densely populated it's more difficult to get rid of the same amount of waste than if you have tons of extra space, but that wasn't what the question was about.
– Cubic
Apr 2 at 11:30
|
show 16 more comments
The reason for this discrepancy is because the data from the Umweltbundesamt includes construction and demolition waste (see figure below and surrounding text on your linked webpage) whereas the data from the EPA "does not include everything that is landfilled in MSW, or nonhazardous, landfills, such as construction and demolition (C&D) debris, municipal wastewater sludge, and other non-hazardous industrial wastes." The EPA data you cited only includes "trash, or municipal solid waste (MSW), as various items consumers throw away after they are used."
If you are interested in data for just municipal solid waste (like in the EPA website), @Milster has recommended this Statista page where it is shown that Germany has produced 51.05 million metric tons of MSW in 2017 whereas the Unites States has produced 258 million metric tons. Thus, the US produced 5 times as much municipal solid waste as Germany in 2017. The Statista values for US MSW in 2017 approximately agree with the EPA figure (below).
When evaluating the raw numerical data, keep in mind that the US population is 4 times the German population (source, source). The average person in the US produces 0.79 metric tons (790 kg) of MSW a year and the average person in Germany produces 0.62 metric tons (620 kg) of MSW a year. In other words, "the US is only 25% worse, or Germany 20% better (@Deduplicator)."
Is it true that a country with smaller GDP and a quarter of the population produces so much more waste?
No, Germany does not produce "so much more" Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) than the US.
Does the US not classify certain kinds as waste?
The cited EPA report only classifies MSW and does not include all other types of wastes.
Are the numbers comparable measurements?
No, the numbers are not comparable measurements. Certain types of waste are not included in the cited EPA numbers.
answered Mar 30 at 22:09
Barry HarrisonBarry Harrison
2,41411038
7
Also (if you want to compare american individual's wastefulness) remember that in certain parts of the US burning your (plastic) waste is still common practice, whereas in Germany it is not, leading to a higher reported waste as well
– Hobbamok
Apr 1 at 8:41
3
If US counts only a subset of landfill and Germany counts waste where it is collected, then it is not a fair comparison because in Germany only the remainders of burned general waste (unrecycled) is landfilled.
– Radio Controlled
Apr 1 at 11:15
3
@Hobbamok From what I can understand, MSW includes all waste consumers throw out, regardless of how the waste is later managed (e.g. through incineration). The final statistics are comparisons of MSW and only MSW.
– Barry Harrison
Apr 1 at 13:18
2
@Yakk Wait, in what way is it a better metric? That kind of depends on what you're trying to measure and why, and it certainly doesn't have any obvious relation to the question being asked here.
– Cubic
Apr 2 at 10:02
2
@Yakk We're talking about total produced waste, not what we do when we have it. Yes, if you're very densely populated it's more difficult to get rid of the same amount of waste than if you have tons of extra space, but that wasn't what the question was about.
– Cubic
Apr 2 at 11:30
|
show 16 more comments
The reason for this discrepancy is because the data from the Umweltbundesamt includes construction and demolition waste (see figure below and surrounding text on your linked webpage) whereas the data from the EPA "does not include everything that is landfilled in MSW, or nonhazardous, landfills, such as construction and demolition (C&D) debris, municipal wastewater sludge, and other non-hazardous industrial wastes." The EPA data you cited only includes "trash, or municipal solid waste (MSW), as various items consumers throw away after they are used."
If you are interested in data for just municipal solid waste (like in the EPA website), @Milster has recommended this Statista page where it is shown that Germany has produced 51.05 million metric tons of MSW in 2017 whereas the Unites States has produced 258 million metric tons. Thus, the US produced 5 times as much municipal solid waste as Germany in 2017. The Statista values for US MSW in 2017 approximately agree with the EPA figure (below).
When evaluating the raw numerical data, keep in mind that the US population is 4 times the German population (source, source). The average person in the US produces 0.79 metric tons (790 kg) of MSW a year and the average person in Germany produces 0.62 metric tons (620 kg) of MSW a year. In other words, "the US is only 25% worse, or Germany 20% better (@Deduplicator)."
Is it true that a country with smaller GDP and a quarter of the population produces so much more waste?
No, Germany does not produce "so much more" Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) than the US.
Does the US not classify certain kinds as waste?
The cited EPA report only classifies MSW and does not include all other types of wastes.
Are the numbers comparable measurements?
No, the numbers are not comparable measurements. Certain types of waste are not included in the cited EPA numbers.
answered Mar 30 at 22:09
Barry HarrisonBarry Harrison
2,41411038
The reason for this discrepancy is because the data from the Umweltbundesamt includes construction and demolition waste (see figure below and surrounding text on your linked webpage) whereas the data from the EPA "does not include everything that is landfilled in MSW, or nonhazardous, landfills, such as construction and demolition (C&D) debris, municipal wastewater sludge, and other non-hazardous industrial wastes." The EPA data you cited only includes "trash, or municipal solid waste (MSW), as various items consumers throw away after they are used."
If you are interested in data for just municipal solid waste (like in the EPA website), @Milster has recommended this Statista page where it is shown that Germany has produced 51.05 million metric tons of MSW in 2017 whereas the Unites States has produced 258 million metric tons. Thus, the US produced 5 times as much municipal solid waste as Germany in 2017. The Statista values for US MSW in 2017 approximately agree with the EPA figure (below).
When evaluating the raw numerical data, keep in mind that the US population is 4 times the German population (source, source). The average person in the US produces 0.79 metric tons (790 kg) of MSW a year and the average person in Germany produces 0.62 metric tons (620 kg) of MSW a year. In other words, "the US is only 25% worse, or Germany 20% better (@Deduplicator)."
Is it true that a country with smaller GDP and a quarter of the population produces so much more waste?
No, Germany does not produce "so much more" Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) than the US.
Does the US not classify certain kinds as waste?
The cited EPA report only classifies MSW and does not include all other types of wastes.
Are the numbers comparable measurements?
No, the numbers are not comparable measurements. Certain types of waste are not included in the cited EPA numbers.
answered Mar 30 at 22:09
Barry HarrisonBarry Harrison
2,41411038
edited Apr 4 at 4:30
answered Mar 30 at 22:09
Barry HarrisonBarry Harrison
2,41411038
answered Mar 30 at 22:09
Barry HarrisonBarry Harrison
2,41411038
answered Mar 30 at 22:09
Barry HarrisonBarry Harrison
2,41411038
2,41411038
7
Also (if you want to compare american individual's wastefulness) remember that in certain parts of the US burning your (plastic) waste is still common practice, whereas in Germany it is not, leading to a higher reported waste as well
– Hobbamok
Apr 1 at 8:41
3
If US counts only a subset of landfill and Germany counts waste where it is collected, then it is not a fair comparison because in Germany only the remainders of burned general waste (unrecycled) is landfilled.
– Radio Controlled
Apr 1 at 11:15
3
@Hobbamok From what I can understand, MSW includes all waste consumers throw out, regardless of how the waste is later managed (e.g. through incineration). The final statistics are comparisons of MSW and only MSW.
– Barry Harrison
Apr 1 at 13:18
2
@Yakk Wait, in what way is it a better metric? That kind of depends on what you're trying to measure and why, and it certainly doesn't have any obvious relation to the question being asked here.
– Cubic
Apr 2 at 10:02
2
@Yakk We're talking about total produced waste, not what we do when we have it. Yes, if you're very densely populated it's more difficult to get rid of the same amount of waste than if you have tons of extra space, but that wasn't what the question was about.
– Cubic
Apr 2 at 11:30
|
show 16 more comments
7
Also (if you want to compare american individual's wastefulness) remember that in certain parts of the US burning your (plastic) waste is still common practice, whereas in Germany it is not, leading to a higher reported waste as well
– Hobbamok
Apr 1 at 8:41
3
If US counts only a subset of landfill and Germany counts waste where it is collected, then it is not a fair comparison because in Germany only the remainders of burned general waste (unrecycled) is landfilled.
– Radio Controlled
Apr 1 at 11:15
3
@Hobbamok From what I can understand, MSW includes all waste consumers throw out, regardless of how the waste is later managed (e.g. through incineration). The final statistics are comparisons of MSW and only MSW.
– Barry Harrison
Apr 1 at 13:18
2
@Yakk Wait, in what way is it a better metric? That kind of depends on what you're trying to measure and why, and it certainly doesn't have any obvious relation to the question being asked here.
– Cubic
Apr 2 at 10:02
2
@Yakk We're talking about total produced waste, not what we do when we have it. Yes, if you're very densely populated it's more difficult to get rid of the same amount of waste than if you have tons of extra space, but that wasn't what the question was about.
– Cubic
Apr 2 at 11:30
7
7
Also (if you want to compare american individual's wastefulness) remember that in certain parts of the US burning your (plastic) waste is still common practice, whereas in Germany it is not, leading to a higher reported waste as well
– Hobbamok
Apr 1 at 8:41
Also (if you want to compare american individual's wastefulness) remember that in certain parts of the US burning your (plastic) waste is still common practice, whereas in Germany it is not, leading to a higher reported waste as well
– Hobbamok
Apr 1 at 8:41
3
3
If US counts only a subset of landfill and Germany counts waste where it is collected, then it is not a fair comparison because in Germany only the remainders of burned general waste (unrecycled) is landfilled.
– Radio Controlled
Apr 1 at 11:15
If US counts only a subset of landfill and Germany counts waste where it is collected, then it is not a fair comparison because in Germany only the remainders of burned general waste (unrecycled) is landfilled.
– Radio Controlled
Apr 1 at 11:15
3
3
@Hobbamok From what I can understand, MSW includes all waste consumers throw out, regardless of how the waste is later managed (e.g. through incineration). The final statistics are comparisons of MSW and only MSW.
– Barry Harrison
Apr 1 at 13:18
@Hobbamok From what I can understand, MSW includes all waste consumers throw out, regardless of how the waste is later managed (e.g. through incineration). The final statistics are comparisons of MSW and only MSW.
– Barry Harrison
Apr 1 at 13:18
2
2
@Yakk Wait, in what way is it a better metric? That kind of depends on what you're trying to measure and why, and it certainly doesn't have any obvious relation to the question being asked here.
– Cubic
Apr 2 at 10:02
@Yakk Wait, in what way is it a better metric? That kind of depends on what you're trying to measure and why, and it certainly doesn't have any obvious relation to the question being asked here.
– Cubic
Apr 2 at 10:02
2
2
@Yakk We're talking about total produced waste, not what we do when we have it. Yes, if you're very densely populated it's more difficult to get rid of the same amount of waste than if you have tons of extra space, but that wasn't what the question was about.
– Cubic
Apr 2 at 11:30
@Yakk We're talking about total produced waste, not what we do when we have it. Yes, if you're very densely populated it's more difficult to get rid of the same amount of waste than if you have tons of extra space, but that wasn't what the question was about.
– Cubic
Apr 2 at 11:30
|
show 16 more comments
5
So the actual claim (Germany produces more waste than the US) is yours and yours alone?
– Dmitry Grigoryev
Apr 2 at 7:42
4
@DmitryGrigoryev: No...?!? He's quoting his sources for 411 million tons / Germany vs. 260 million tons / USA right there in the question? (Apples and oranges notwithstanding, as Barry pointed out.)
– DevSolar
Apr 2 at 8:59
3
@DevSolar your argument would allow arbitrary questions! Just because the data sources are vaguely related, there still is no proof of a notable claim that "Germany produces more waste than the US", except this question itself.
– Alexander Kosubek
Apr 2 at 9:32
4
I think this question doesn't fit the notability requirements for Skeptics. It's a good question though for environmental sciences, which has its own stack earthscience.stackexchange.com/tour Pollution control is part of environmental science, if Wikipedia is correct. And they do have a pollution tag on the aforementioned stack.
– Fizz
Apr 2 at 10:59
1
@DevSolar If I'm not mistaken, neither of the sources makes a comparison between the US and Germany. The question asks to verify specifically this comparison, not the numbers present in the sources.
– Dmitry Grigoryev
Apr 2 at 11:54