The average amount of municipal waste per person produced in 2024 in the European Union was 517 kilogrammes, six 6 kgs more than 2023 and 38 kgs more than in 2014.
The figures are from the latest report by the European statistical office, Eurostat, published on Monday.
Municipal waste includes household or similar waste but excludes industrial, agricultural, medical, construction, and demolition waste.
Significant differences in waste generation levels were observed across EU Member States.
Austria (782 kgs per person), Denmark (755 kgs), and Belgium (699 kgs) recorded the highest amounts in 2023.
In contrast, Romania (305 kgs), Estonia (375 kgs), and Poland (387 kgs) had the lowest figures.
Between 2014 and 2024, 20 EU countries saw an increase in municipal waste production per person. The largest rises occurred in Belgium (+274 kgs), Czechia (+228 kgs), and Austria (+217 kgs).
On the other hand, notable reductions were seen in the Netherlands (-54 kgs), Denmark (-53 kgs), and Finland (-25 kgs).
In 2024, the EU recycled an average of 248 kgs of municipal waste per person, achieving a recycling rate of 48.1% of all produced waste, up from 43.0% (208 kgs per person) in 2014.
