Citation
(2009), "Online report on municipal waste recycling across the EU", Management of Environmental Quality, Vol. 20 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/meq.2009.08320eag.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Online report on municipal waste recycling across the EU
Article Type: News from the net From: Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, Volume 20, Issue 5
Recycling levels for municipal waste have increased in all EU countries, according to an online European Environment Agency report. It covers the period 1995-2006 and also provides data on construction and demolition waste.
There are still significant differences between recycling levels of municipal waste across the EU, the report shows. But certain countries that started with low recycling levels have rapidly increased their activity. For example, levels in Ireland increased from around 9 to 36 per cent between 1995 and 2006, and from around 3 to 23 per cent in the Czech Republic between 2000 and 2006.
A report published by Eurostat in March 2009 also showed the generation and treatment of municipal waste varies significantly among member states. Generation of municipal waste in 2007 ranged from 294 kilograms per person in the Czech Republic to 801 kg in Denmark.
Paper and cardboard and biowaste (mainly green kitchen waste and garden waste) constitute the bulk of the waste recycled in countries with the highest recycling levels for municipal waste, the report shows. Regarding construction and demolition waste, the report shows most EU-15 countries have recycling levels of more than 60 per cent. Others such as the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland only recycle between 15 and 30 per cent. New waste rules published last year set a non-binding target of 70 per cent for 2020. The online report is available at: http://scp.eionet.europa.eu/publications/wp2009_2/wp/wp2009_2