The scientific evidence on the waste exposure-related health effects is not univocal. Epidemiological studies on populations living nearby landfills and incinerators do not demonstrate that exposure to waste causes cancer and reproductive outcomes. Socioeconomic factors have been considered, mainly as confounders, in few studies only. Differential exposure to waste by socioeconomic status (SES) is often documented, but its health implications and the possible modification of effects are not well known.