EU generated 1,697 kg of waste per capita in 2024, excluding major mineral waste

The European Union generated approximately 765 million tonnes of waste in 2024, excluding major mineral waste, equivalent to 1,697 kg per capita, according to data published by Eurostat on October 29, 2026. The amount fell by 2.1% compared with 2022 and represents around 35% of the total waste produced by households and economic activities. The indicator measures waste generated across the entire economy relative to the population, not how much waste each person produces at home.

In brief Of the 2.196 billion tonnes of waste generated in the EU in 2024, around 765 million tonnes remained after major mineral waste was excluded. This corresponds to 1,697 kg per capita. Compared with 2022, waste excluding the major mineral component fell by approximately 16 million tonnes, or 2.1%. Total waste declined by 0.9%. Malta, Ireland and Slovenia recorded the lowest amounts per capita in the category analysed; Estonia recorded the highest. Romania’s 2024 figure is not available in the Eurostat dataset. Municipal waste is a separate category: Eurostat separately reported 517 kg per capita in 2024. This figure cannot be used as equivalent to the 1,697 kg indicator. Of all waste treated in the EU, 42% was recycled and 29.9% landfilled. These shares include major mineral waste and do not apply only to the 765 million tonnes. The amounts generated and treated are not directly comparable.

With major mineral waste included, the EU generated approximately 2.196 billion tonnes in 2024, or 4,872 kg per capita. The category excluded from the 1,697 kg indicator comprises mineral waste from construction and demolition, other mineral waste, soils and dredged materials. The large volumes associated with extraction and construction can dominate national statistics; separating them allows more relevant comparisons between economies with different structures, without eliminating all these differences.

Compared with 2022, total waste fell by approximately 20 million tonnes, or 0.9%. The reduction in the category excluding major mineral waste was around 16 million tonnes, equivalent to 2.1%. Sectoral trends differed, however: while waste from the energy sector and manufacturing declined, waste from water and waste management services increased.

In this category, water and waste management services generated approximately 222 million tonnes, households 189 million tonnes, and manufacturing 153 million tonnes. The first sector also includes secondary waste, such as residues resulting from sorting or incineration. These are recorded after the initial waste has already been generated, so an increase in treatment residues does not automatically indicate an equivalent volume of new waste originating directly from production or consumption.

At national level, amounts excluding major mineral waste ranged from 1,092 kg per capita in Malta to 4,703 kg in Estonia. Ireland recorded 1,199 kg, while Slovenia recorded 1,254 kg. Estonia’s high level is linked to oil shale-based energy production. Eurostat does not publish a value for Romania for 2024 in this dataset.

Municipal waste has a narrower statistical scope: it includes household waste and other waste similar in nature and composition, but not many industrial, agricultural or construction waste streams. For this category, Eurostat separately reported 517 kg per capita in the EU in 2024. The municipal indicator is also not limited exclusively to waste produced in homes, as it includes similar waste from other sources.

Regarding treatment, approximately 1.956 billion tonnes were processed in the EU in 2024. Of this total, 42% was recycled, 13.3% used for backfilling, meaning the replacement of other materials when filling excavated areas or carrying out landscaping works, and 6.5% recovered for energy. Another 29.9% was landfilled, 7.9% disposed of through other operations and 0.4% incinerated without energy recovery. The shares refer to all waste treated, including major mineral waste; the combined 37.8% for landfilling and other disposal methods does not represent landfilling alone.

The difference between the total generated and the total treated does not measure the amount left unprocessed. Treatment statistics include imported waste, exclude exported waste and track final treatment, while generation includes secondary waste. Storage and the time between waste generation and treatment also contribute to the differences between the two totals.

European reporting on waste generation and treatment is carried out every two years, based on surveys, administrative sources and statistical estimates. Per-capita values use the average annual population. Eurostat marks the EU aggregate for waste generation in 2024 as an imputed value, obtained through statistical data completion.