0% composted, 13% recycled, rest is landfilled
In the EU27, an average 524 kilos of municipal waste was generated per person in 2008 and Cyprus had the second worst rate at a per capita waste of 770 kg, just short of league leader Denmark that saw its citizens dispose of 802 kg, according to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
In the EU27, 40% of this municipal waste was landfilled, 20% incinerated, 23% recycled and 17% composted, while in Cyprus the exact opposite happened – 87% was landfilled, 13% recycled and none composted or incinerated.
However, this figure is expected to improve in the data for 2009, when the amount collected for recycling by the public monopoly, Green Dot, is taken into account as it concludes collection agreements with municipalities and local authorities.
The amount of municipal waste generated varies significantly across member states, with the lowest figure of 306 kg reported in the Czech Republic.
This variation is mainly due to different consumption behaviour, and to a lesser extent to the inclusion, by certain member states, of waste generated not only by households but also by small businesses and public institutions.
More than 700 kg of municipal waste per person was generated in 2008 in Denmark, Ireland, Cyprus and Luxembourg. Malta, the Netherlands and Austria had values between 600 and 700 kg per person and Germany, Estonia, Spain, France, Italy, Finland, Sweden and the U.K. between 500 and 600 kg per person.
The next group included Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Lithuania, Hungary, Portugal and Slovenia with values between 400 and 500 kg per person. The lowest values of below 400 kg per person were found in the Czech Republic, Latvia, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.
The treatment methods also differ between member states. In 2008, the highest share of municipal waste landfilled was claimed by Bulgaria (100% of waste treated), Romania (99%), Malta (97%), Lithuania (96%), and Latvia (93%). The highest shares of incinerated municipal waste were observed in Denmark (54% of waste treated), Sweden (49%), the Netherlands (39%), Belgium and Luxembourg (both 36%), Germany (35%) and France (32%).
Recycling and composting of municipal waste was most common in Austria (70% of waste treated), Germany (65%), the Netherlands (60%) and Belgium (59%).
The highest recycling rates for municipal waste was in Germany (48% of waste treated), Belgium and Sweden (both 35%), Ireland and the Netherlands (both 32%) and Slovenia (31%). Composting of municipal waste was most common in Austria (40%), Italy (34%), the Netherlands (27%), Belgium (25%), Spain and Luxembourg (both 20%).
