Connect with us

Environment

Plastic packaging waste in the EU: 35.3 kg per person

SHARE:

Published

2 months ago

on

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. You can unsubscribe at any time.

A person throwing plastic bottles in the recycling bin.

In 2023, 79.7 million tonnes of packaging waste were generated in the EU, or 177.8 kg per inhabitant. While this marks a reduction of 8.7 kg per capita compared with 2022, the figure remains 21.2 kg higher than in 2013.

Out of all the packaging waste generated, 40.4% was paper and cardboard, 19.8% was plastic, 18.8% glass, 15.8% wood, 4.9% metal and 0.2% other packaging. 

An average of 35.3 kg of plastic packaging waste was generated in 2023 for each person living in the EU. Out of this, 14.8 kg were recycled. The amount of generated plastic waste decreased by 1.0 kg compared with 2022, while the amount of recycled plastic waste increased by 0.1 kg. Between 2013 and 2023, the amount of plastic packaging waste generated increased by 6.4 kg per capita, while the amount recycled increased by 3.8 kg.

Click to enlarge

Source dataset: env_waspac

This information comes from data on packaging waste published by Eurostat. The article presents a handful of findings from the more detailed Statistics Explained article on packaging waste.

Increase in plastic packaging waste recycling

In 2023, the EU recycled 42.1% of all the generated plastic packaging waste, indicating an increase in the recycling rate compared with 2013 (38.2%).

Advertisement

Belgium recorded the highest recycling rate at 59.5%, followed by Latvia (59.2%) and Slovakia (54.1%).

In contrast, the lowest rates were recorded in Hungary (23.0%), France (25.7%) and Austria (26.9%).

Click to enlarge

Source dataset: env_waspac

For more information

Methodological notes

  • Methodological changes in 2020, including a harmonised calculation point for recycling and stricter accounting of composite packaging material fractions, led to a decrease of 3.4% in recycling for the EU in 2020. 
  • The figures in this news item include packaging waste generated by all the economy, including households, businesses and government.
  • For the calculation of kilograms per capita, the national amounts of waste generated and treated are divided by the average resident population of the year. 
  • The recycling rate of plastic packaging waste in the EU is reported  according to Article 6.1(g) of the Packaging and packaging waste directive.

Share this article:

Related Topics:
EU Reporter publishes articles from a variety of outside sources which express a wide range of viewpoints. The positions taken in these articles are not necessarily those of EU Reporter. Please see EU Reporter’s full Terms and Conditions of publication for more information EU Reporter embraces artificial intelligence as a tool to enhance journalistic quality, efficiency, and accessibility, while maintaining strict human editorial oversight, ethical standards, and transparency in all AI-assisted content. Please see EU Reporter’s full A.I. Policy for more information.
Advertisement

Trending