Green Economics

The growth of production and consumption has made waste management an increasingly important economic and environmental issue in Azerbaijan. This study examines changes in waste generation, utilization and neutralization in the country between 2010 and 2024, with particular attention to differences across economic activities. The analysis is based on official data obtained from the State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Descriptive statistics, growth rates, trend analysis and sectoral comparisons are applied. The findings show that the total volume of production and consumption waste increased from 2,281.5 thousand tons in 2010 to 4,365.0 thousand tons in 2024. During the same period, utilized and neutralized waste rose from 476.1 thousand tons to 1,148.4 thousand tons. Nevertheless, its ratio to generated waste increased only from 20.9% to 26.3% and fluctuated considerably over the period. The sectoral results reveal substantial differences. In 2024, manufacturing generated 856.2 thousand tons of waste, of which 807.5 thousand tons were utilized or neutralized. By contrast, the corresponding ratio remained considerably lower in agriculture and mining. Municipal solid waste accounted for the largest share of total waste generation and continued to increase. The results indicate that growth in waste treatment has not been sufficient to offset the overall expansion of waste generation. The study highlights the need for sector-specific waste reduction, recovery and recycling measures in Azerbaijan.