In 2008, the total non-mineral waste1 generated in the EU27 amounted to 920 million tonnes, which corresponds to 1 800 kg per capita. The manufacturing sector accounted for 26% of total generation of non-mineral waste, other economic activities2, such as agriculture, energy and services, for 50%, while households contributed 23%. Non-mineral waste reflects waste originating from all economic sectors and households, thus including waste generated from both production and consumption. It does not cover mineral waste, of which 90% originates from the mining and construction sectors. Non-mineral waste is an interesting indicator for environmental policies since it covers most of the waste for which reduction is an important environmental objective.
This information3 is published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
Lowest values of non-mineral waste generated per capita in Malta and Cyprus, highest in Estonia and Finland
Among the Member States, the United Kingdom (143 million tonnes of waste or 16% of total waste in the EU27) generated the most non-mineral waste in 2008, followed by Germany (129 mn tonnes or 14%), France (95 mn tonnes or 10%), Italy (94 mn tonnes or 10%) and Spain (71 mn tonnes or 8%). These Member States together accounted for almost 60% of total non-mineral waste generated in the EU27.
The pattern is different when measured per capita. The Member States with the lowest values per capita were Malta (970 kg of non-mineral waste generated per capita), Cyprus (1 040 kg) and the Czech Republic (1 190 kg), while the highest values were recorded in Estonia (8 220 kg), Finland (4 350 kg), Austria (2 750 kg) and Sweden (2 540 kg). The high level of waste generated in Estonia is due to the large amounts of waste from the energy and refinery sector, derived from the use of oil shale, while in Finland, Austria and Sweden it is mainly due to wood waste.
A quarter of total non-mineral waste generated by households
Non-mineral waste is generated from all sectors of the economy as well as from households. The shares of non-mineral waste generated by the different sectors varied considerably between Member States. The highest shares from the manufacturing sector were observed in Finland (61% of total non-mineral waste generated), Austria (52%) and Sweden (48%).
The highest shares observed for other sectors such as agriculture, energy and services can be partly explained by combustion waste from coal used as an energy source in Bulgaria (70% of total non-mineral waste generated from other sectors) and Greece (68%), by waste from agriculture in Romania (65%) and by wholesale of waste and scrap in the United Kingdom (65%).
The largest shares for households were observed in Cyprus (48%), Latvia (44%) and Malta (42%).
Total non-mineral waste generation, 2008
| Total non-mineral waste generated |
Waste generation by origin, in % | ||||
| 1000 tonnes | kg per capita | Manufacturing | Other sectors2 |
Households | |
| EU27 | 919 320 | 1 843 | 26 | 50 | 23 |
| Belgium | 25 842 | 2 413 | 31 | 53 | 17 |
| Bulgaria | 17 216 | 2 258 | 13 | 70 | 17 |
| Czech Republic | 12 391 | 1 189 | 33 | 42 | 25 |
| Denmark | 9 402 | 1 711 | 13 | 61 | 25 |
| Germany | 129 463 | 1 577 | 23 | 50 | 27 |
| Estonia | 11 014 | 8 216 | 33 | 63 | 4 |
| Ireland | 6 922 | 1 564 | 38 | 38 | 24 |
| Greece | 23 237 | 2 068 | 15 | 68 | 17 |
| Spain | 70 674 | 1 551 | 19 | 48 | 33 |
| France | 94 548 | 1 473 | 21 | 51 | 28 |
| Italy | 93 605 | 1 564 | 34 | 31 | 35 |
| Cyprus | 827 | 1 043 | 11 | 41 | 48 |
| Latvia | u | u | 30 | 26 | 44 |
| Lithuania | 6 070 | 1 807 | 43 | 35 | 22 |
| Luxembourg | 1 210 | 2 477 | 47 | 31 | 22 |
| Hungary | 12 118 | 1 207 | 23 | 49 | 29 |
| Malta | 401 | 974 | 4 | 54 | 42 |
| Netherlands | 39 842 | 2 423 | 35 | 42 | 22 |
| Austria | 22 920 | 2 749 | 52 | 32 | 17 |
| Poland | 61 253 | 1 607 | 36 | 53 | 11 |
| Portugal | u | u | 26 | 57 | 17 |
| Romania | 47 262 | 2 197 | 18 | 65 | 17 |
| Slovenia | 3 382 | 1 673 | 41 | 39 | 21 |
| Slovakia | 8 877 | 1 642 | 45 | 35 | 20 |
| Finland | 23 114 | 4 350 | 61 | 32 | 7 |
| Sweden | 23 377 | 2 536 | 48 | 33 | 19 |
| United Kingdom | 142 938 | 2 328 | 14 | 65 | 21 |
| Norway | 9 072 | 1 903 | 37 | 37 | 26 |
u: Data unreliable due to methodological issues
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Non-mineral waste generated covers waste generated by all economic sectors and households, thus reflecting waste originating from production and from consumption. It covers hazardous and non-hazardous waste and waste from waste treatment (secondary waste), but excludes mineral wastes, soils and dredging spoils.
Although the indicator focuses on non-mineral waste, it is considered to reflect the general trend in waste generation more accurately and in a more comparable way than the total including mineral waste. This is because:
- Fluctuations in the mining and construction sectors, specific infrastructure measures or even methodological changes in data collection in one or a few countries would overlay general trends in waste generation in the rest of the economy, especially in small countries;
- Comparison of data across countries indicates that data quality and comparability is lower in the construction and in the mining sector than in other economic sectors; and
- For a considerable share of mineral waste, prevention is not the main environmental objective.
2. Including agriculture, forestry and fishing, mining and quarrying, electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities, construction, services and wholesale of waste and scrap.
3. Eurostat, Statistics in Focus, 44/2011, "Generation and treatment of waste in Europe 2008 - Steady reduction in waste going to landfills", available free of charge in pdf format on the Eurostat web site. For further information, please visit the web site of Eurostat, under Statistics / Environment / Environmental Data Centre on Waste and the article in Statistics Explained.
Source : Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.