EU recycled 42.1% of plastic packaging waste in 2023

Iranpolymer/Baspar  Eurostart has released the latest data on plastic packaging recycling in the European Union. The block recycled 42.1% of the plastic packaging waste generated in 2023, a slight increase from the 41% registered in 2022.

The EU body calculates the plastic packaging recycling rate by dividing the amount of plastic packaging waste that is material-recycled by the total amount of plastic packaging waste generated in a given year.  That means the recycling rate of plastic packaging waste counts exclusively material that is recycled back into plastic.

In 2023, an average of 35.3 kg of plastic packaging waste was generated for each person living in the EU and, out of this, 14.8 kg were recycled. The amount of generated plastic waste decreased by 1.0 kg compared with 2022, while the amount of recycled plastic waste increased by 0.1 kg. Between 2013 and 2023, the amount of plastic packaging waste generated increased by 6.4 kg per capita, while the amount recycled increased by 3.8 kg.

A total of 79.7 million tonnes of packaging waste was produced in the EU, equivalent to 177.8 kg per inhabitant. While this marks a reduction of 8.7 kg per capita compared with 2022, the figure remains 21.2 kg higher than in 2013.

Of the total packaging waste generated, 40.4% was paper and cardboard, 19.8% was plastic, 18.8% glass, 15.8% wood, and 4.9% metal.

Belgium recorded the highest plastic packaging recycling rate at 59.5%, followed by Latvia (59.2%), and Slovakia (54.1%).

In contrast, the lowest rates were recorded in Hungary (23.0%), France (25.7%) and Austria (26.9%).

Czechia, Germany, and Slovenia also recorded recycling rates above 50%. The Netherlands, Italy, Poland, and Spain complete the top 10.

As part of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive, the EU has set a target to recycle 50% of plastic packaging waste by 2025 and 55% by 2030. That means that only Belgium and Latvia achieved the 2025 target.  However, Slovakia (54.1%), Czechia (52.4%), Germany (52.2%) and Slovenia (51.5%) were also closing in on it. Another 4 of the EU countries reported recycling rates of between 45% and 50% for plastic packaging waste in 2023.

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