96% of municipal waste landfilled in Malta in 2009

On average 504kg was treated in 2009 in the EU in four major categories, landfill (38%), incinerated (20%), recycled (24%) and composted (18%).

The amount of municipal waste generated varies significantly across member states. Denmark, with more than 800 kg per person, had the highest amount of waste generated in 2009, followed by Cyprus, Ireland and Luxembourg with values between 700 and 800 kg per person, and Malta and the Netherlands with values between 600 and 700 kg.

Austria, Germany, Spain, Italy, France and the United Kingdom all generated between 500 and 600 kg per person, while Belgium, Portugal, Sweden, Finland, Greece, Bulgaria, Slovenia, and Hungary were between 400 and 500 kg. Values of below 400 kg per person were found in the Czech Republic, Poland, Latvia, Slovakia, Estonia, Lithuania and Romania.

The treatment methods differ substantially between Member States. In 2009, the Member States with the highest share of municipal waste landfilled were Bulgaria (100% of waste treated), Romania (99%), Malta (96%), Lithuania (95%), and Latvia (92%).

The highest shares of incinerated municipal waste were observed in Sweden (49% of waste treated), Denmark (48%), the Netherlands (39%), Luxembourg (36%), Belgium (35%), Germany and France (with 34%). In ten Member States incineration was equal to or below 1%.

Recycling was most common in Germany (48% of waste treated), Belgium and Sweden (both 36%), Slovenia and Denmark (both 34%), Ireland and the Netherlands (both 32%). The Member States with the highest composting rates for municipal waste were Austria (40%), Italy (32%), the Netherlands (28%), Spain and Belgium (both 24%) and Luxembourg (20%).

Recycling and composting of municipal waste together accounted for 50% of waste treated or more in Austria (70%), Germany (66%), the Netherlands (61%), Belgium (60%) and Sweden (50%). In seven Member States less than 10% of waste was recycled or composted.