Eurostat: less waste and more recycling in EU

Europe – The EU generated 475 kg of waste per person in 2014 – of which 44% was either recycled or composted, according to new Eurostat data.

In total, 465 kg per person was treated in that year, with 28% being recycled, another 28% landfilled, 27% incinerated and 16% composted. Slovenia recycled 49% of its waste and Germany 47%. In the UK, slightly less than 30% of the 482 kg generated per person was recycled. On a per capita basis, the largest volumes of waste were generated in Denmark at 759 kg whereas Poland and Latvia recorded just 272 kg and 281 kg, respectively.

In 2014, EU waste generation was 10% lower than at its peak of 527 kg per person in 2002, Eurostat observes. The share of municipal waste recycled or composted in the EU has ‘steadily increased’ over time, climbing from 17% in 1995 to 44% in 2014.