With EU-27 residents generating 251 million metric tons of municipal solid waste in 2022, this post unpacks the numbers behind what happens to it, from recycling and composting to landfilling, incineration, and even the global spillover like ocean-bound plastics and butt litter.
Key Takeaways
- 251 million metric tons of municipal solid waste generated in the EU-27 in 2022
- 55.6% of municipal waste was recycled in the EU in 2022
- 145 kg per person per year of municipal waste generated in the EU in 2022
- The global waste management market size is projected to reach $395.5 billion by 2027 according to MarketsandMarkets
- The global recycling market size is projected to reach $615.5 billion by 2026 according to MarketsandMarkets
- The global waste collection services market size was $253.8 billion in 2023 (estimate by Fortune Business Insights)
In the EU, 251 million tons of municipal waste were generated in 2022, but recycling rose while landfilling fell.
Industry Trends
1251 million metric tons of municipal solid waste generated in the EU-27 in 2022[1]
Verified255.6% of municipal waste was recycled in the EU in 2022[1]
Verified3145 kg per person per year of municipal waste generated in the EU in 2022[1]
Verified435.4% of municipal waste was landfilled in the EU in 2022[1]
Directional5123 kg per person per year of municipal waste generated in the EU-27 in 2022[1]
Single source633.3% of municipal waste was composted in the EU in 2022[1]
Verified747.2% of municipal waste was incinerated (with energy recovery) in the EU in 2022[1]
Verified8Approximately 1.6 trillion cigarettes butt littered globally per year estimated[2]
Verified99 million metric tons of plastic are entering the ocean annually estimated[3]
Directional1011.4% of municipal waste in the EU is treated by composting and digestion combined according to Eurostat breakdown[1]
Single source1127.6 million tonnes of municipal waste were landfilled in the EU in 2022[1]
Verified1286.8 million tonnes of municipal waste were recycled in the EU in 2022[1]
Verified1374.1 million tonnes of municipal waste were incinerated (with energy recovery) in the EU in 2022[1]
Verified1443.9 million tonnes of municipal waste were composted in the EU in 2022[1]
Directional1533% of all food produced is lost or wasted globally estimated[4]
Single source16931 million tonnes of food waste generated globally in 2019 estimated[5]
Verified1733% of plastics waste is landfilled or dumped according to OECD report estimates[6]
Verified189% of plastic waste is recycled globally estimated[3]
Verified1912% of plastic waste is incinerated globally estimated[3]
Directional2079% of plastic waste is landfilled or leaked globally estimated[3]
Single source2115.4% growth in municipal waste generation in OECD countries from 2000 to 2018 estimated[7]
Verified22In the US in 2018, 67.7 million tons were recycled plastics[8]
Verified23In the US in 2018, 12.2 million tons of plastics were composted[8]
Verified24In the US in 2018, 8.3 million tons of plastics were combusted[8]
Directional25In the US in 2018, 21.6 million tons of paper and paperboard were recycled[9]
Single source26In the US in 2018, 66.8 million tons of paper and paperboard were landfilled[9]
Verified27In the US in 2018, 10.5% of paper and paperboard was recycled (as a share of generation) by EPA accounting[9]
VerifiedIndustry Trends Interpretation
Even though the EU recycled 55.6% of municipal waste in 2022, 35.4% was still landfilled and plastics remain a major leakage issue with about 9 million metric tons entering the ocean every year.
Market Size
1The global waste management market size is projected to reach $395.5 billion by 2027 according to MarketsandMarkets[10]
Verified2The global recycling market size is projected to reach $615.5 billion by 2026 according to MarketsandMarkets[11]
Verified3The global waste collection services market size was $253.8 billion in 2023 (estimate by Fortune Business Insights)[12]
Verified4The global waste management equipment market size is projected to reach $34.1 billion by 2030 (estimated by IMARC)[13]
Directional5The global landfill gas market size is projected to reach $1.9 billion by 2028 (estimated by MarketsandMarkets)[14]
Single source6The global anaerobic digestion market size was valued at $7.6 billion in 2020 and projected to reach $24.0 billion by 2030 (estimated by Fortune Business Insights)[15]
Verified7The global waste-to-energy market size is projected to reach $84.8 billion by 2030 (estimated by IMARC)[16]
Verified8The global composting market size is projected to reach $11.7 billion by 2030 (estimated by IMARC)[17]
Verified9The global plastic waste generated was 460 million metric tons in 2019 (OECD/Global Plastics Outlook estimate)[18]
Directional10The global plastics market is projected to reach $612 billion by 2030 (estimated by Allied Market Research)[19]
Single source11The global solid waste management market size is projected to reach $418.3 billion by 2030 (estimated by Fortune Business Insights)[20]
Verified12The global municipal waste management market size is projected to reach $179.9 billion by 2030 (estimated by Fortune Business Insights)[21]
Verified13The global plastic recycling market size is projected to reach $12.5 billion by 2027 (estimated by Grand View Research)[22]
Verified14The global waste tire recycling market size is projected to reach $5.8 billion by 2030 (estimated by Fortune Business Insights)[23]
Directional15The global waste management software market size was $2.0 billion in 2023 and projected to reach $4.6 billion by 2030 (estimated by MarketsandMarkets)[24]
Single source16The global smart waste management market is projected to reach $3.1 billion by 2028 (estimated by MarketsandMarkets)[25]
Verified17The global materials recovery facility (MRF) equipment market size is projected to reach $1.3 billion by 2028 (estimated by IMARC)[26]
Verified18The global incineration market size is projected to reach $35.3 billion by 2030 (estimated by IMARC)[27]
Verified19The global landfill gas utilization market was valued at $1.0 billion in 2022 and projected to reach $2.1 billion by 2032 (estimated by Allied Market Research)[28]
Directional20The global resource recycling market size is projected to reach $41.0 billion by 2032 (estimated by Fortune Business Insights)[29]
Single source21The global waste compactor market size is projected to reach $4.2 billion by 2030 (estimated by IMARC)[30]
Verified22The global recycling sorting technology market size is projected to reach $10.7 billion by 2030 (estimated by MarketsandMarkets)[31]
Verified23The global MRF technology market is projected to reach $6.8 billion by 2028 (estimated by IMARC)[32]
Verified24The global construction and demolition waste recycling market size is projected to reach $25.3 billion by 2030 (estimated by IMARC)[33]
DirectionalMarket Size Interpretation
Across the waste sector, growth is clearly accelerating, with markets like global recycling expected to hit $615.5 billion by 2026 and solid waste management projected to reach $418.3 billion by 2030, even as plastic waste remains massive at 460 million metric tons in 2019.
References
- 1ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Municipal_waste_statistics
- 2oecd.org/environment/indicators-modelling-outlooks/global-waste-facts-and-figures.htm
- 6oecd.org/environment/plastics/oecd-policy-highlights-on-plastics.html
- 7oecd.org/environment/waste/statistics.htm
- 18oecd.org/environment/plastics/global-plastics-outlook.htm
- 3ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution
- 4fao.org/3/cc3017en/online/sofi/sofi-2021-food-waste.html
- 5unep.org/resources/report/unep-food-waste-index-report-2021
- 8epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/plastics-material-specific-data
- 9epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/paper-and-paperboard-material-specific-data
- 10marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/waste-management-market-214.html
- 11marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/recycling-market-1350.html
- 14marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/landfill-gas-market-213118.html
- 24marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/waste-management-software-market-211575.html
- 25marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/smart-waste-management-market-239937577.html
- 31marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/recycling-sorting-technology-market-208433730.html
- 12fortunebusinessinsights.com/waste-collection-services-market-104946
- 15fortunebusinessinsights.com/anaerobic-digestion-market-100392
- 20fortunebusinessinsights.com/solid-waste-management-market-101522
- 21fortunebusinessinsights.com/municipal-waste-management-market-103138
- 23fortunebusinessinsights.com/waste-tire-recycling-market-101882
- 29fortunebusinessinsights.com/resource-recycling-market-103161
- 13imarcgroup.com/waste-management-equipment-market
- 16imarcgroup.com/waste-to-energy-market
- 17imarcgroup.com/composting-market
- 26imarcgroup.com/material-recovery-facility-mrf-equipment-market
- 27imarcgroup.com/incinerator-market
- 30imarcgroup.com/waste-compactor-market
- 32imarcgroup.com/material-recovery-facility-technology-market
- 33imarcgroup.com/construction-demolition-waste-recycling-market
- 19alliedmarketresearch.com/plastics-market
- 28alliedmarketresearch.com/landfill-gas-market
- 22grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/plastic-recycling-market