The EU reported that in 2012 each person in the 28 member nations produced 492kg during the year of municipal waste which is that generated by households and small businesses.
Of that, nearly all (480kg) was treated – 34% was sent to landfill, 24% was incinerated, 27% was recycled and 15% was turned into compost.
Recycled and composted waste has grown considerably since 1995 when the combined total was only 18% reaching to 42% by 2012.
Portugal, however, was one country which served to bring down the region’s average. Although the individual average of waste was 453kg, which was 39kg below the average, the country’s recycling was well below the average.
Portugal managed to recycle only 27% of its waste, of which 12% was recycled into other products or materials and 15% was turned into compost. Landfill took 54% and 20% was incinerated.
Happy Denmark produced the most waste of all EU members (668kg per person), followed by Cyprus, Luxembourg and Germany. The United Kingdom (472kg) joined Portugal in being middle-ranking.
Lowest wastes were produced in former Eastern Bloc countries such as Croatia, Romania and Poland.
Best recyclers and composters were Germany (65%), Austria (62%) and Belgium (57%). The United Kingdom managed 46%.
Highest users of landfill were Romania (a whopping 99%), Malta (87%) and Greece (82%).
