Background: The scientific evidence on the health effects of waste-related exposure is not conclusive.Conclusions: The patterns of association between waste-related environmental pressures and SES suggest that some of the observed inequalities in exposure and health represent a case of environmental injustice as they are the result of social processes and may be prevented, at least partly.Differential exposure to waste by socio-economic status (SES) is often documented, but the interplay between environmental and social factors, crucial for policy making, is not well known.Results: Available data provide consistent indications that waste facilities are often disproportionally more located in areas with more deprived residents, or from ethnical minorities.Methods: Grey and peer-reviewed literature, published after 1983, was reviewed from Europe and the USA.