Hong Kong Is No. 1 in Trash

Hong Kong is now the trash capital of the world, producing more waste per capita than any other place, reports Time. The 7 million residents produce 6.45 million tons per year for the honor. The city's waste-heavy ways include a dependence on take-out food, along with all those plastic containers and paper bags used to package it, writes Krista Mahr.

The city recycles about half its waste but is forced to ship the remainder to three main landfills, which already take up huge amounts of precious land. Incineration, banned 13 years ago, is being discussed as a viable option, though residents are afraid of the effect on the already-polluted city's air quality.
(More Hong Kong stories.)