Circular material use rate

Since 2020, the circular material use rate in Sweden has increased. Data show that this is due to a large increase in recycling rates since 2020. The increase in recycling rates may be partly dependent on methodological improvements in data collection since 2020, which gives rise to a break in the time series between 2020 and 2021. Between 2010 and 2020, the total mass of recycled material increased by 10%, driven mainly by increased composting and anaerobic digestion of manure and food wastes. In the same period, the total quantity of recycled paper products decreased by more than 50%, possibly due to the reduced production of newspapers and magazines. Meanwhile, the total quantity of recycled metals was about the same in 2020 as in 2010. Recycling of mineral wastes from construction and other sources constitutes roughly 60% of the total material recycling throughout the time series.

From 2010 to 2020, domestic material extraction increased by 23%, largely due to the increased use of metals, sand and gravel. Since the increase in domestic material extraction was greater than the increase in material recycling, the circular material use rate decreased in Sweden during this period.

A summary of more than 500 inspirational measures is included in the Swedish waste prevention programme and the waste management plan, and several of the measures aim to increase the use of recycled materials.