How much plastic waste is generated in Europe?
The amount of plastic waste generated in the EU was estimated at 53 million metric tons in 2019. Plastics use in the EU is set to continue growing over the coming decades, which could see the volume of plastic waste generated in the region double by 2060, surpassing 100 million metric tons a year.Packaging is the largest stream of plastic waste in Europe, with EU Member States generating more than 16 million metric tons in 2021. In fact, plastic packaging waste generation in the EU has grown by roughly 30 percent in the past decade. While Germany is the largest overall producer of plastic packaging waste in the bloc, Ireland produces the most plastic packaging waste per person, at roughly 74 kilograms in 2021.
Plastic waste treatment in Europe
Landfilling and incineration for energy recovery are still the main methods of plastic waste management in Europe, with recycling accounting for less than 15 percent of waste disposed across the continent. Although the average recycling rate of plastic packaging waste in the EU saw some growth in the past decade, it remains well below 50 percent, the bloc’s recycling target for 2025. Recycling rates vary greatly across the EU, with only two Member States recycling at least half of their plastic packaging waste in 2020.Additionally, EU plastic waste exports to countries outside the bloc for treatment count towards recycling rates. However, these shipments are often mismanaged due to a lack of proper waste management infrastructure in importing countries. Nevertheless, EU plastic waste exports have seen a continual decline in recent years, as a growing number of countries impose bans and restrictions on plastic waste imports.