Recycling, Europe slows progress - Which EU countries recycle the most raw materials?
Progress in recycling materials in the European Union has not been remarkable over the past decade. Between 2015 and 2024, the EU recycling rate increased by just one percentage point, from 11.2% to 12.2%, according to the latest Eurostat data.
When it comes to avoiding the extraction of new materials and reusing existing materials, one country stands out above the rest: the Netherlands, with a rate of almost 33%. Neighboring Belgium ranks second with 22.7%, followed by Italy with almost 22%. At the bottom of the table, with the lowest recycling rate, is Romania with just 1.3%, followed by Finland and Ireland, both with 2%.
The EU Circular Economy Plan has set a target of 23.2% for material recycling by 2030. “Circularity is an essential part of a broader industrial transformation towards climate neutrality and long-term competitiveness. It can bring significant material savings along the entire value chain and production processes, generate added value and open up economic opportunities,” the authorities stated.
However, this goal seems difficult to achieve, given the slow pace of growth over the past 10 years. “Although we recycle more tons in absolute numbers, production is growing faster, so the percentage result does not look very positive, resulting in only 1% in a decade,” explain sector experts. According to them, recycling will be essential to reduce the bloc's dependence on imports of critical materials from China.
In six countries, recycling rates have declined over the past decade, most notably in Poland (-4.2%) and Finland (-3.2%). Other, albeit slower, declines have been recorded in France (-1.3%), Spain (-0.2%), Ireland (-0.1%) and Romania (-0.4%).
On the other hand, Malta has recorded a significant increase of 14% in recycled materials. Estonia has also performed very well, with 9% more compared to 2014, followed by the Czech Republic with almost 8%.
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