Diversion of waste from landfill in Europe

Assessment versions

Published (reviewed and quality assured)

• 21 Jun 2021, 04:59 PM
  - Diversion of waste from landfill in Europe

Rationale

Justification for indicator selection

No rationale has been identified for this indicator

Scientific references

• No rationale references available

Indicator definition

The two figures in this indicator provide information about the landfilling of waste. Figure 1 shows the amounts and percentage values of waste, excluding major mineral waste, deposited in landfill (the waste landfill rate) together with quantities sent to landfill for selected waste types. Figure 2 shows waste landfill rates, as percentages, by country. Data presented in the form of a bar chart are displayed for the reference year (2010, or 2011 in some cases) and the last year for which data are available (2019, or 2018 in some cases).

Units

The unit used to indicate landfilling rates in all figures is percentage (%). In addition, in Fig. 1 the amount of waste landfilled is expressed in millions of tonnes.

Policy context and targets

Context description

One of the characteristics of the linear economy system, which has predominated in recent decades, is a high level of resource consumption followed by a high level of waste generation (‘take-make-dispose’ model). This economic model is based on increasing profits generated by the consumption of primary resources and increasing demand for short-cycle products. In 2015, 2018 and 2020, the European Commission adopted circular economy packages to make the transition to a stronger, circular economic model, where resources are used in a more sustainable way. The waste hierarchy serves to set priorities for national waste policies and gives the highest priority to waste prevention, followed by preparing for reuse, recycling, other methods of recovery and disposal. These priorities are highlighted by recent waste and resource efficiency policies and strategies at EU and national levels.

Targets

No targets have been specified

Related policy documents

• COM(2011) 571 final, Roadmap to a resource efficient Europe
  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS. Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe
• COM(2020) 98 final, A new Circular Economy Action Plan For a cleaner and more competitive Europe
  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS A new Circular Economy Action Plan For a cleaner and more competitive Europe COM/2020/98 final
• Council Directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April 1999 on the landfill of waste
  COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 1999/31/EC  of 26 April 1999  on the landfill of waste
• Directive (EU) 2018/850 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 amending Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste
  Directive (EU) 2018/850 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 amending Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste
• Directive (EU) 2018/851 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 amending Directive 2008/98/EC on waste
  Directive (EU) 2018/851 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 amending Directive 2008/98/EC on waste

Methodology

Methodology for indicator calculation

Raw data for waste generation and treatment were retrieved from Eurostat. Eurostat aggregate data for the 27 EU Member States were used. Data on waste generation contain all NACE (statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community) activities and households. Frequency of data publishing is every 2 years (for waste generation). Information on data set uncertainties can be found directly in the metadata and explanatory notes provided by Eurostat. Only official Eurostat data sets have been used.

In Figure 2, the landfill rate is shown as the percentage of municipal waste generated that is deposited in landfill. Data are presented in descending order according to 2019 data values. Data for 2018 rather than 2019 are shown for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Ireland, Kosovo (under UN Security Council Resolution 1244/99), Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia; data for 2011 rather than 2010 are shown for Denmark and North Macedonia. The horizontal line represents the target for the year 2035 according to the Landfill Directive (Directive 1999/31/EC, as amended by Directive (EU) 2018/850) (EU, 1999, 2018a).

Methodology for gap filling

No methodology for gap filling has been specified. Probably this info has been added together with indicator calculation.

Methodology references

No methodology references available.

Data specifications

EEA data references

• No datasets have been specified here.

External data references

• Treatment of waste (env_wastrt)
• Municipal waste by waste management operations (env_wasmun)

Data sources in latest figures

Uncertainties

Methodology uncertainty

No uncertainty has been identified in the methodology used to process the indicator.

Data sets uncertainty

No uncertainty has been specified

Rationale uncertainty

No uncertainty has been specified