In an attempt to accelerate the pace of its industrial development, an economically developing
nation may fail to pay adequate attention to solid waste management. Such a failure incurs a
severe penalty at a later time in the form of resources needlessly lost and a staggering adverse
impact on the environment and on public health and safety. The penalty is neither avoided nor
lessened by a resolve to do something about the waste at a later time, when the country may be in
a better position to take appropriate measures. This is true because, as is indicated by the data in
Table I-1, the rate of waste generation generally increases in direct proportion to that of a nation's
advance in development. Nor is the penalty lessened by the faulty rationalisation that advances in
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developmental status have higher priority than maintenance of a liveable environment. The
greater the degradation of the environment, the greater is the effort required to restore its good
quality. In summary, the effort to preserve or enhance environmental quality should at least be
commensurate with that afforded to the attainment of advance in development.