Waste generation in Europe

Waste generation in the EU increased since 2010, although at a slower pace than the EU economy indicating a modest decoupling of waste generation from economic growth.

From 2010 to 2022, total waste generation per capita in the EU-27 (excluding major mineral waste) increased by 3%, while GDP per capita grew by 17%. This suggests a modest decoupling of waste generation from economic growth, though waste production remains closely linked to economic activity.

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the link between economic activity and waste generation. The economic slowdown in 2020 led to a sharp decline in consumption and waste generation, but as the economy rebounded, waste levels rose again in 2022. This suggests that behavioural shifts during lockdowns had a greater impact on waste reduction than existing prevention measures.

Waste generation trends vary by sector. Combustion waste from the energy sector aligns with fossil fuel use, indicating that climate policies, rather than waste prevention efforts, have driven reductions. Waste from services and manufacturing follows economic growth, though at a slower pace, while waste from waste treatment and water sectors continues to rise independently of economic trends. Factors such as technological changes, industrial activity shifts, and sector-specific variables further influence waste levels.

Per capita waste generation is a key indicator for assessing progress in waste prevention, as it reflects the total waste produced by households, industries, and other sectors. This metric, which excludes major mineral waste, includes both hazardous and non-hazardous waste from all economic sectors and households, as well as secondary waste from waste treatment. Major mineral waste is excluded due to significant variations across EU Member States and because it is primarily driven by construction and infrastructure needs, making it less influenced by waste prevention measures focused on consumption and production patterns.

By focusing on waste streams that are more environmentally significant and directly influenced by waste prevention policies, this indicator provides a clearer understanding of the effectiveness of current measures. A stable or increasing trend suggests that existing efforts may not be sufficient, while a decline indicates progress in reducing resource use and improving efficiency.

Definition

The metric shows the amount of waste generated per person in the EU annually, and it excludes major mineral waste.

Literature

Methodology

On the basis of the Regulation on waste statistics (EC) No. 2150/2002, amended by Commission Regulation (EU) No. 849/2010, data on the generation and treatment of waste is collected from the Member States. The information on waste generation has a breakdown in sources (19 business activities according to the NACE classification and household activities) and in waste categories (according to the European Waste Classification for statistical purposes). The information on waste treatment is broken down to five treatment types (recovery, incineration with energy recovery, other incineration, disposal on land and land treatment) and in waste categories.

All values are measured in tonnes of waste and in kg per capita, based on the annual average of the population.

The Member States are free to decide on the data collection methods. The general options are: surveys, administrative sources, statistical estimations or some combination of methods.

For the first reference year 2004 Member States could apply for permission not to deliver part of the information: waste generated by agriculture and fishing and waste generated in the services sector. For this reason this information is missing for some of the countries.

Reference: Eurostat online data code: ENV_WASGEN TOT_X_MIN, waste category — total waste excluding major mineral wastes (or kg/capita).

Metadata

Source: Eurostat

Unit: Kg per capita

Temporal coverage: 2010-2022

Geographical coverage: EU-27

Waste generation in Europe

References and footnotes