Waste Generation and Waste Treatment

Description

This indicator group quantifies the generation of waste within an economy, both in total and per-capita. Waste generation can be disaggregated by type of waste (e.g. packaging waste), by sector (municipal, agricultural, or from mining and quarrying), or by type of treatment (recycling, energy recovery, backfilling etc.).

Questions addressed

  • How much total waste is generated in a certain country?
  • How do different sectors compare in terms of waste production?
  • How has waste treatment developed over time?
  • How does waste per capita vary across countries?
  • Is there any evidence of successful waste prevention?
  • Are there changes in consumption patterns?

Data Sources

Comprehensive waste data is provided by OECD Statistics and the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) based on data reported by Member States of the European Union (EU), EFTA countries, candidate countries, and potential candidates, following common methodological standards.
Note: Some indicators are only available for countries reporting to Eurostat.

Indicators

  • Total amount of waste generated
    Definition:
    This indicator quantifies the amount of waste generated by households (municipal waste) and businesses (including all economic activities) by country and year.
    For further information, see: Eurostat metadata.

    Methodology:
    Countries reporting to Eurostat decide data collection methods. Common options include surveys, administrative sources, statistical estimations, and mixed methods.
    • Waste treated
      This indicator quantifies the waste treated within a country’s borders (excluding waste exports and including waste imports).
      Treated waste can be subdivided into different treatment types: recycling, incineration with energy recovery, backfilling, other incineration, landfilling, and other disposal.
    • Waste recycled
      This indicator quantifies the amount of waste recycled. Recycling includes any recovery operation by which waste material is reprocessed into products, materials or substances, whether for the original purpose or others. It includes the reprocessing of organic material, but not energy recovery, reprocessing into fuel, or for backfilling operations.

      For more information, see: Glossary: Recycling of waste - Statistics Explained (europa.eu).
    • Waste energy recovery
      This indicator quantifies the amount of waste incinerated for energy recovery. Incineration is a waste disposal method that entails the combustion of waste. Energy recovery in this case means the collection of energy created in the combustion, for example for power generation.

      For more information, see: Glossary: Incineration - Statistics Explained (europa.eu) .
    • Waste backfilling
      This indicator quantifies the amount of waste backfilled. Backfilling is a recovery operation in which non-hazardous waste is used in the reclamation of excavated areas or for engineering purposes in landscaping.
      For more information, see: Backfilling (europa.eu)
    • Waste incinerated
      This indicator quantifies the amount of waste incinerated without recovering energy. Incineration is a waste disposal method that entails the combustion of waste. When incineration occurs without energy recovery, the combustion heat is dissipated in the environment. For more information, see: Glossary: Incineration - Statistics Explained (europa.eu)
    • Waste landfilled
      This indicator quantifies the amount of waste disposed of by being deposited into or onto land. For more information, see: Glossary: Landfill - Statistics Explained (europa.eu)
  • Packaging waste generated
    Definition:
    This indicator quantifies the amount of packaging waste generated by country and year. It includes all materials used for the containment, protection, handling, delivery, and presentation of goods, regardless of the type of material. For further information, see: Eurostat metadata.

    Methodology:
    Countries reporting to Eurostat gather and transmit data via questionnaires.
  • Municipal waste generated
    • Municipal waste treated
      This indicator quantifies the amount of municipal waste treated with recovery or disposal operations.
      Data on municipal waste treatment relates to the municipal waste generated in the country. Accordingly, exports of municipal waste for treatment are included, imports are excluded.
      Different treatment types can be distinguished: recycling (material recovery or composting), incineration with energy recovery, other incineration, and landfilling.
    • Municipal waste recycled (material recovery)
      This indicator quantifies the amount of municipal waste recycled for material recovery. It refers to any recovery operation besides energy recovery or generation and reprocessing into fuels. Recycling is both reprocessing as the same original product (i.e. preparing for re-use), and for different purposes (recycling and backfilling).
    • Municipal waste recycled (composting and digestion)
      This indicator quantifies the amount of municipal waste submitted to anaerobic or aerobic decomposition (composting). Composting and digestion are biological process that turns biodegradable waste into a recoverable product.
    • Municipal waste energy recovery
      This indicator quantifies the amount of municipal waste incinerated for the purpose of energy recovery. Incineration is a waste disposal method entailing the combustion of waste. In waste energy recovery, the energy created in the combustion process is harnessed for re-use, for example for power generation.
    • Municipal waste incinerated
      This indicator quantifies the amount of municipal waste incinerated without any energy recovery. Incineration is a waste disposal method entailing the combustion of waste. In incineration that doesn’t include energy recovery, the heat generated in combustion is dissipated in the environment.
    • Municipal waste landfilled
      This indicator quantifies the amount of municipal waste disposed by being deposited into or onto land.
  • Generation of waste by the sectors agriculture, forestry and fishing
    Definition:
    This indicator quantifies the amount of waste created by the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sectors by country and year.
    For further information, see: Eurostat Metadata and OECD Statistics.

    Methodology:
    Countries reporting to OECD gather and transmit data via questionnaires.
    Countries reporting to Eurostat decide data collection methods. Common options include surveys, administrative sources, statistical estimations, and mixed methods.
  • Generation of waste by the sector mining and quarrying
    Definition:
    This indicator quantifies the amount of waste created by the mining and quarrying sector by country and year.
    For further information, see: Eurostat Metadata and OECD Statistics.

    Methodology:
    Countries reporting to OECD gather and transmit data via questionnaires.
    Countries reporting to Eurostat decide data collection methods. Common options include surveys, administrative sources, statistical estimations, and mixed methods.
  • Generation of waste by the manufacturing industries
    Definition:
    This indicator quantifies the amount of waste created by manufacturing industries by country and year.
    For further information, see: Eurostat Metadata and OECD Statistics.

    Methodology:
    Countries reporting to OECD gather and transmit data via questionnaires.
    Countries reporting to Eurostat decide data collection methods. Common options include surveys, administrative sources, statistical estimations, and mixed methods.