Total waste generation

Total waste generation in Lithuania grew by 5–11% annually between 2010 and 2018. From 2018 to 2020, it decreased by 7%, and from 2020 to 2022 it decreased by 21%. The generation of municipal waste, representing about 20% of total waste, increased between 2016 and 2020, but then decreased by 7% between 2020 and 2023: in 2020, it was 483 kg/capita/year, while in 2023 it was 449 kg/capita/year. Many factors, varying by waste type, influence waste generation, including economic development, incomes and prices, consumption trends and policies on waste prevention and resource efficiency. Some waste streams inevitably must contribute more to the total volume generated. A prime example is WEEE, for which the task set by Directive 2012/19/EU is ambitious. Lithuania has a clear goal to significantly increase the collection of WEEE for recycling. WEEE collection in Lithuania has been increasing consistently every year since 2010 and is expected to continue to increase in the future. The average amount of WEEE collected for recycling per capita in Lithuania was nearly 5 kg in 2018 and increased to 7.63 kg in 2022.