Circular material use rate

Lithuania’s circular material use rate has shown limited improvement since 2010, starting at 3.9%, peaking at 4.6% in 2016 and returning to 3.9% in 2023 – that is, all below the EU average. Material consumption is high at 21.2 t/capita/year, approximately 50% above the EU average; the most significant shares are non-metallic minerals (38.3%), fossil fuels (35%) and biomass (21%). Resource productivity is low at EUR 0.93/kg, compared with the EU average of EUR 2.29/kg. The use of secondary raw materials in manufacturing remains limited, as only 27% of businesses sell production residues and waste to other companies for recycling, while 15% reuse materials within their own companies.

Lithuania is planning to invest in recycling infrastructure – particularly for plastic, textiles and organic waste – while promoting the use of secondary raw materials and sustainable manufacturing. Lithuania also plans to upgrade its circular economy coordination and monitoring system. These measures aim to boost recycling rates, enhance resource efficiency, reduce material consumption and contribute to bringing Lithuania’s circular material use rate closer to the EU average.