Europeans Produce an Average of Four Hundredweight of Waste Per Person Annually
According to Eurostat, in the European Union, the amount of municipal waste generated per capita was 513 kilograms in 2022, which is 19 kilograms, or 4 percent less than in 2021 (532 kg), reports the Hungarian News Agency MTI.
Based on data from the EU's statistical office, Austrians (827 kilograms/person), Danes (787 kilograms/person), and Luxembourgers (720 kilograms/person) produced the highest quantities of municipal waste, while the lowest amounts were recorded in Romania (301 kilograms/person), Poland (364 kilograms/person), and Estonia (373 kilograms/person).
In the European Union, an average of 249 kilograms of household waste per person was recycled in 2022, down from 264 kilograms per person in 2021. Furthermore, 48 percent of all municipal waste was recycled in 2022.
The highest per capita recycling rates for municipal waste were observed in Austria (516 kilograms), Denmark (411 kilograms), and Germany (409 kilograms). On the other end of the spectrum, Romania (36 kilograms), Malta (75 kilograms), and Greece (90 kilograms) recorded the lowest rates.
Despite the generation of more waste in the EU, the total quantity of municipal waste placed in landfills has decreased. The total amount of municipal waste placed in landfills decreased from 121 million tonnes in 1995 (286 kilograms/person) to 53 million tonnes in 2022 (118 kilograms/person).
Between 1995 and 2022, the amount of municipal waste incinerated increased by 29 million tonnes, or 98 percent, reaching 59 million tonnes in 2022. Consequently, the per capita amount of municipal waste incinerated rose from 70 kilograms to 133 kilograms.
The report indicates that in Hungary, the per capita amount of municipal waste was 460 kilograms in 1995, 446 kilograms in 2000, 461 kilograms in 2005, 403 kilograms in 2010, 377 kilograms in 2015, 403 kilograms in 2020, and 406 kilograms in the year under review, 2022.
Compared to the 1995 data, the per capita amount of waste generated in Hungary decreased by 11.8 percent by 2022. The recycling rate for municipal waste in Hungary was 32.8 percent in 2022.
In the European Union, an average of 249 kilograms of household waste per person was recycled in 2022, down from 264 kilograms per person in 2021. Furthermore, 48 percent of all municipal waste was recycled in 2022.
The highest per capita recycling rates for municipal waste were observed in Austria (516 kilograms), Denmark (411 kilograms), and Germany (409 kilograms). On the other end of the spectrum, Romania (36 kilograms), Malta (75 kilograms), and Greece (90 kilograms) recorded the lowest rates.
Despite the generation of more waste in the EU, the total quantity of municipal waste placed in landfills has decreased. The total amount of municipal waste placed in landfills decreased from 121 million tonnes in 1995 (286 kilograms/person) to 53 million tonnes in 2022 (118 kilograms/person).
Between 1995 and 2022, the amount of municipal waste incinerated increased by 29 million tonnes, or 98 percent, reaching 59 million tonnes in 2022. Consequently, the per capita amount of municipal waste incinerated rose from 70 kilograms to 133 kilograms.
The report indicates that in Hungary, the per capita amount of municipal waste was 460 kilograms in 1995, 446 kilograms in 2000, 461 kilograms in 2005, 403 kilograms in 2010, 377 kilograms in 2015, 403 kilograms in 2020, and 406 kilograms in the year under review, 2022.
Compared to the 1995 data, the per capita amount of waste generated in Hungary decreased by 11.8 percent by 2022. The recycling rate for municipal waste in Hungary was 32.8 percent in 2022.
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