Garbage is burned as fuel in developed countries too, e.g. https://www.viridor.co.uk/energy/energy-recovery-facilities/ardley-erf/ https://www.viridor.co.uk/ene

Garbage is burned as fuel in developed countries too, e.g. https://www.viridor.co.uk/energy/energy-recovery-facilities/ardley-erf/ https://www.viridor.co.uk/energy/energy-recovery-facilities/... I don't know of good figures on how much worse it is to burn plastic rather than wash and reuse it.