Total waste generation

In 2023, Poland generated 122.8 Mt of waste, of which 11% was municipal waste. Since 2016, waste generation has been decoupling from economic growth. Between 2015 and 2021, the overall waste amount decreased due to the reduction of industrial waste. Industrial waste accounted for 89% of total waste in 2021, and over half of that came from the mining and quarrying sector. Therefore, a reduction in coal and other mineral extraction resulted in waste reduction. Around half of industrial waste is recovered. After an increase in 2022, the total waste decreased again in 2023. The amount of waste generated per capita increased from 268 kg in 2014 to 357 kg in 2023, accompanied by a much faster increase in consumption. This was one of the lowest waste generation values in the EU, where the average resident generated around 511 kg of waste in 2023. Residents in western Poland generate more waste than in the east, while city dwellers generate much more than inhabitants of rural areas. A national rate of 39% of waste being made ready for reuse and recycling was achieved in 2019. Recycling rates have been increasing year on year. Poland met the EU’s 2020 requirements by 2014, achieving a 35% reduction in the landfilling of biodegradable municipal waste compared with the amount landfilled in 1995. The latest national waste management plan for 2028 aims to reduce the raw materials and energy used, support reuse and prevent food waste.