Brussels, 27/03/2015 (Agence Europe) - In 2013, each EU citizen generated an average of 481 kg of municipal waste, 8.7% less than in 2012 (492 kg/person) continuing the downward trend that has been seen since 2007, according to figures released on Friday 27 March by Eurostat, the EU's statistical office. But while virtually all this waste was treated in one form of another, there is still a lot of incineration and land-filling in a number of countries. Recycling and composting has growth notably over the past twenty years, however. In 2013, 43% of municipal waste was recycled or composted in the EU, compared with 42% in 2012 and 18% in 1995).
Less waste going to land-fill sites. Of the 481 kg of municipal waste per person, 470 kg was treated, and 31% of it sent to landfill sites (compared with 34% in 2012), 24% incinerated (no change), 27% recycled (no change) and 15% composted (no change).
Denmark produces the most municipal waste. The quantity of municipal waste generated by each individual varies widely from one country to the next. In 2013, Denmark remained in the lead with 747 kg/person (compared with 668 in 2012), followed by Luxembourg, Cyprus and Germany (more than 600 kg per person), then Ireland, Austria, Malta, France, the Netherlands and Greece (between 500 and 600 kg), Finland, Italy, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia (between 400 and 500 kg), Latvia, Slovakia, Romania, the Czech Republic, Poland and Estonia (less than 400 kg).
Recycling and composting: Slovenia, Germany, Austria and Belgium remain in the lead
In 2013, Slovenia went into the lead for recycling (55% of treated waste, compared with 42% in 2012), followed by Germany (47%, no change), Belgium and Ireland (both 34%) and Sweden (33%, compared with 32% in 2012). The top composting member states are Austria (35% of treated waste, no change), the Netherlands (26% compared with 28% in 2012), Belgium (21%, no change) and Luxembourg (20%, compared with 19% in 2012).
Recycling and composting of municipal waste account for nearly two thirds of treated waste in Germany (65%, no change) and more than half in Slovenia (61%), Austria (59% compared with 62% in 2012) and Belgium (55%, compared with 57% in 2012).
The highest incineration rates (more than half of treated waste) were found in Estonia (64%) Denmark (54%) and Sweden (50%)
Too much waste still going to landfill sites. As in 2012, Romania holds the record for the amount of waste going to landfill sites (97% of treated waste in 2013, compared with 99% in 2012),followed by Malta (88%, compared with 87% in 2012), Croatia (85%, no change), Latvia (83%, compared with 84% in 2012) and Greece (81% compared with 82% in 2012).
Under the waste directive (2008/98/EC), the preferable method of treating waste is to prevent waste occurring in the first place. This is followed by re-use, then recycling, then other forms of use and finally, as a last resort, eliminating waste in a safe way that respects the environment. (Aminata Niang)