Waste is a ubiquitous sight in our environment. PET bottles wash up on shores of the most distant islands, plastic has been found in the deepest trenches of our oceans and grocery bags litter the slopes of the tallest mountains. People routinely burn electronics to extract precious metals, without awareness of the impact it has on their health or the environment. Given the growing amount, complexity and visibility of waste, proper waste management is more crucial than ever. Individuals, companies, cities, and nations all need to become more proactive and pursue a more holistic approach to managing their waste. Such an approach begins with reduction, followed by reuse, and then recycling. Even with these efforts, residual waste needs to be managed using state of the art technologies that ensure this residual waste is handled in an environmentally sound manner. UNEP IETC is working with our partners to change societal attitudes towards waste. We must all start treating it as the valuable resource it is.