16 November 2016
EEA Report Finds Policies Improved Resource Efficiency and Waste
Photo by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth
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The European Environment Agency (EEA) published an assessment that finds the rate of municipal waste going to landfills has decreased and recycling rates in 32 EEA countries have increased, in part due to European environmental policies to improve resource efficiency and waste.

The EEA describes municipal waste recycling as “one of the success stories of European environmental politics”.

Despite progress, the report cautions that countries will have to increase their efforts to achieve the European Union’s (EU) 50 percent recycling target for municipal waste by 2020 and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

14 November 2016: The European Environment Agency (EEA) has published an assessment that finds the rate of municipal waste going to landfills has decreased and recycling rates in 32 EEA countries have increased, at least in part due to European environmental policies to improve resource efficiency and waste. Despite progress, the report cautions that countries will have to increase their efforts to achieve the European Union’s (EU) 50 percent recycling target for municipal waste by 2020 and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As part of the European Commissions’ (EC) Circular economy package, the EU has proposed recycling 65 percent of municipal waste by 2030 and reducing landfill to a maximum of 10 percent of municipal waste by 2030. These goals are expected to contribute to SDG 12 (Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns), including Target 12.4 (By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment) and Target 12.5 (By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse).

The report, titled ‘Municipal waste management across European countries,’ compiles data on waste management policies and underscores linkages between declining rates of landfilling and increased recycling rates. The report finds that municipal waste to landfills decreased from 49 percent in 2004 to 34 percent in 2014, with 27 out of 32 countries experiencing a decrease. Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland sent “virtually no municipal waste” to landfill sites. The report stresses that countries with efficient municipal waste management systems typically achieve better overall waste management.

The EEA describes municipal waste recycling as “one of the success stories of European environmental politics,” explaining that EEA countries increased their average total recycling rate from 23 percent in 2004 to 33 percent in 2014. In the European Union (EU), recycling increased from 37 to 44 percent during the same period, with Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland recycling at least half of their municipal waste.

Trends in average generation per person varied among countries, according to the EEA. On average, average generation per person declined by 7 percent from 2004 to 2014. However, 19 countries experienced a decrease while 16 countries experienced an increase in municipal waste generation per person.

The assessment compiles data on waste management policies from the 28 European Union (EU) member states, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey. It also includes some information on Western Balkan countries. The EEA includes material recycling, composting and digestion of biowastes in municipal waste recycling.

In a press release, the EEA highlights some limitations in the data, noting that EU member states can use different methods to monitor progress and use different definitions of municipal waste and recycled material. Within this context, the EEA recommends further harmonization of national reporting methods and improvements in waste data to support effective policy measures. [EEA Press Release] [Publication: Municipal Waste Management Across European Countries] [EC Circular Economy Strategy]

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