Bhutan's latest national waste survey provides critical data needed for strengthening waste management

The survey findings provide an up-to-date evidence base to guide waste policy, infrastructure planning and investment as Bhutan responds to a growing waste challenge.

June 5, 2026

Three people in orange safety gear collect plastic bottles and trash in a forest clearing. — Desups (volunteers) collecting trash in Bumthang district during a cleanup campaign in June 2025, supported through the plastic waste management project funded by The Coca cola Foundation. 259 volunteers picked six truckloads (7.3 tonnes) of waste along the road, covering 125 kilometres.

UNDP/Decchen Wangmo

As Bhutan works to improve how waste is managed across the country, the National Waste Inventory Survey 2025 provides the strongest evidence yet of where the challenges lie and where action is most needed. The first such national waste inventory survey was done in 2019.

The 2025 survey shows that daily waste output has reached 240,940 kilograms, a 40 percent increase since 2019, underscoring the urgency of strengthening waste management systems and planning more effective responses.

The survey was conducted as part of the "Management of Plastic Waste and Circular Interventions on Plastics" project, a partnership between the Department of Environment and Climate Change and UNDP, supported by The Coca-Cola Foundation and the Plastic Free Rivers and Seas for South Asia (PLEASE) Project, financed by the World Bank and implemented by the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP).

Five people pose with certificates; a saffron-robed monk is among them. — The National Waste Inventory Survey Report 2025 was launched on 4 June, celebrated as Environment Day in Bhutan

UNDP/Lhap Dorj

According to the report, Bhutan now generates 0.31 kilograms of waste per person per day, with waste volumes growing at an average annual rate of 6.6 percent since 2019. The commercial sector is the largest contributor, accounting for 53.8 percent of total waste generation, followed by households at 34.7 percent and the industrial sector at 5.9 percent. This breakdown helps show where action is most urgently needed and where targeted measures could have the greatest impact.

In terms of composition, wet waste makes up half of all waste generated, followed by dry waste at 32 percent and plastic waste at 17 percent. The survey also found that urban households generate nearly twice as much waste as rural households. These findings can help inform more targeted approaches to collection, segregation, composting, recycling and public awareness, especially in fast-growing urban areas where pressure on waste systems is rising quickly.

A waste survey enumerator seen here measuring segregated waste for the national waste inventory survey

UNDP/Karma Jamtsho

Despite the overall rise in waste generation, the report also points to encouraging progress in some areas. In schools, 70 percent now segregate wet and dry waste, and nearly half go further by separating recyclables such as paper, cardboard and PET bottles.

In government offices, per capita waste generation has dropped from 0.19 kilograms in 2019 to 0.127 kilograms in 2025. These examples offer useful evidence of what is working and where good practices could be scaled up.

These improvements, the report notes, reflect the impact of stronger policy enforcement, increased awareness and better infrastructure support. Together, they show that with the right interventions, supported by good data, Bhutan can reduce waste, improve recovery and move toward more circular approaches to resource use.

A waste survey enumerator collecting waste generation data in Thimphu

UNDP/Karma Jamtsho

The survey findings is already planing an important role in shaping Bhutan’s next generation of waste management decisions. The updated data helped inform the development of the Waste Infrastructure Master Plan, the revision of the National Waste Management Strategy, and estimates of greenhouse gas emissions from the waste sector. Together, these are critical building blocks for a stronger, more responsive waste management system.

By showing how much waste is being generated, where it comes from and how it is being handled, the report gives policymakers a stronger foundation for planning investments, improving services and supporting sustainability, public health and climate resilience.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Ms. Dechen Wangmo, Communications and Partnerships Analyst, Email: dechen.wangmo@undp.org