Search results
95 results
Sort by:
Better management of municipal waste will reduce greenhouse gas emissions
The road from landfilling to recycling: common destination, different routes
Diverting waste from landfill - Effectiveness of waste-management policies in the European Union
Issued in 1999, the Landfill Directive marked a decisive shift from landfill towards the EU's new waste hierarchy, which prioritises waste prevention, followed by re-use, recycling and recovery, and seeks to avoid landfilling wherever feasible. The Landfill Directive set targets for progressively reducing the amount of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled in the period to 2016. A decade on from the Landfill Directive's enactment seems a fitting time to review progress and extract key lessons for policy-makers in Europe and elsewhere. Through individual and comparative analyses of waste management in five countries and one sub-national region (Estonia, Finland, the Flemish Region of Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Italy), as well as an econometric analysis of the EU–25 Member States, this report seeks to answer a number of important questions, including: To what extent was waste management practice changed in the last decade? How much of the change was due to the Landfill Directive (and other EU instruments)? What measures and institutional arrangements did countries introduce? Which measures and arrangements proved most effective in different national and regional contexts?
Earnings, jobs and innovation: the role of recycling in a green economy
This short report explains the role of recycling in the green economy and examines the evidence of its contribution in Europe, focusing primarily on the economic benefits that recycling offers.
Europe’s consumption in a circular economy: the benefits of longer-lasting electronics
The electrical and electronics industry has been contributing to Europe socially and economically for almost 100 years. However, the production, use and disposal of electronics are resource intensive activities that result in significant environmental and climate impacts. The magnitude of these impacts depends very much on consumption patterns and how long products are used for. This briefing describes how increasing product lifetime and improving ‘circularity’ are essential steps towards reducing impacts from electronics.
The rate of recycling versus incineration with energy recovery of municipal waste, 2005
Total turnover of recycling of seven key recyclables in the EU, 2004 and 2006–2009
'Precious metals' include silver, gold and platinum. 'Other metals' include lead, zinc, tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, magnesium, cobalt, bismuth, cadmium, titanium, antimony, manganese, beryllium, chromium, germanium, vanadium, niobium, rhenium, gallium, indium and cermets. * The 2009 calculation is based on the values for only the second half of 2009. Despite the huge decline in commodity prices at the beginning of 2009 due to the economic downturn, the total turnover of recyclables recovered markedly in the second half of 2009.
Trends in recycling of municipal waste, latest available five years
Value of EU internal and overseas trade in recyclables, 2000–2010 (*)
(*) The 2010 values are based on amounts and values for only the first half of 2010 because figures for the second half of the year were not available at the time of writing. Precious metals include silver, gold and platinum. 'Other metals' includes lead, zinc, tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, magnesium, cobalt, bismuth, cadmium, titanium, antimony, manganese, beryllium, chromium, germanium, vanadium, niobium, rhenium, gallium, indium and cermets.
Electric and electronic equipment put on the market, WEEE collected and recycled/reused in 26 European countries (kg/capita/year), in 2010
The figure shows the amount of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) that has been put on the market, and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) collected in total, collected from private households and reused and recycled in European countries, stated in kg/capita. The figures are related to the collection target of 4 kg/capita/year. Values are related to 2010.
Yearly average percentage point increase in total recycling of municipal waste, 2001–2005 and 2006–2010
Yearly average percentage point increase in total recycling of municipal waste, 2001–2005 and 2006–2010
Regional recycling rates for municipal solid waste, 2008/2009
-
Municipal waste recycling rates in 32 European countries, 2001 and 2010
The total recycling of municipal waste stated in percentage of the generated amount
National reporting of the relative level of material-recycled municipal waste and recycled packaging waste (EU-27 and Norway, 2009)
The figure illustrates the relation between reported amounts of recycled packaging waste and recycled municipal waste and groups the countries into four categories.
Number of countries at different levels of the municipal waste management hierarchy, 2001 and 2010
The number of countries achieving defined levels of MSW management in 2001 and 2010. Countries > 25% recycling, > 25% incineration, > 50% landfilling and >75% landfilling. Each country can be included in several waste management categories. Therefore, the total number of countries is greater than 32.
Overview of landfill taxes on municipal waste used in EU Member States, 2023
Overview of taxes on the incineration of municipal waste used in EU Member States, 2023
Persons employed in recycling activities in the EU (*), Norway and Switzerland per million inhabitants, 2000–2007
(*) Data are missing for some countries in years between 2000 and 2007. The countries whose data are missing are listed in ETC/SCP, 2011.
Progress of European countries up the recycling hierarchy (material and bio-waste recycling), 2001–2010
The number of countries achieving defined intervals of total recycling in 2001 and 2010.
Progress of European countries up the material recycling hierarchy, 2001–2010
Number of countries per defined intervals of material recycling of MSW management in 2001 and 2010.
Progress of European countries up the municipal bio-waste recycling hierarchy, 2001–2010
Number of countries per defined intervals of bio-waste recycling of MSW management in 2001 and 2010.
Progress towards selected waste management targets
The figure shows the landfilling rate for municipal waste by country. Each dot represents a country. The boxes represent the upper and lower quartiles, and the line in the box shows the median.
Recycling of packaging waste by country, 2008 and 2010
The figure shows the recycle of packaging waste by country in 2008 and 2010
Recycling rates for packaging waste in 2009 by country
Generation and recycling of packaging waste in the member countries of the European Environment Agency. The data show that 17 countries in 2009 met the 2009 target of the Packaging Waste Directive (2004/12/EC) to recycle at least 55% of packaging waste generated, and two countries missed the 2001 target to recycle at least 25%.
Recycling's current and potential contribution (*) to meeting EU demand for various materials, 2006
(*) The current and potential contribution figures are both based on the infrastructure available in 2006. Future changes in collection rates, improved recycling structures and market conditions could significantly influence the potential contribution figures.