With almost 500,000 open landfills in Europe, there is much to be done to improve waste management. But we are making progress.
The data on waste that still ends up in landfills in Europe
It’s not easy to find updated data on the number of landfills in Europe. This says quite a lot about how complex it is to reduce the waste that still ends up in large numbers, despite the institutions’ efforts. The European Enhanced Landfill Mining Consortium (Eurelco), founded in 2014 by 38 participants from 13 EU member states, including companies, research institutes, and governmental organizations, provides around 500,000 sites.
The EU’s approach is based on the waste hierarchy, prioritising prevention, then preparing for reuse, recycling, energy recovery, and finally disposal, including landfilling. This last option is the least desirable and should be used only if absolutely necessary. Landfills can indeed pose a risk to the environment and, despite technical measures such as bottom sealing, they can reduce the quality of both groundwater and surface water. A long-term goal of the Union is the transition to a circular economy. This model should aim to avoid generating waste and use the inevitable waste as a resource.
What are the waste production trends in Europe?
Overall, waste production in the EU has increased in recent years. This poses challenges for management and potentially undermines the goal of reducing dependence on landfills. However, between 2010 and 2020, the total waste sent to landfills decreased by 27.5%. We have gone from 173 million tons to 125 million tons.
Significant progress has been made in diverting household waste towards recycling. In the decade examined by Eurostat in its most recent estimates, household waste disposal in landfills has decreased by 57%. Combustion waste has decreased 30%, and “other waste” has reduced by 28%. However, sorting residues thrown into European landfills has increased by 100%. This means that greater attention needs to be paid to the recovery of materials and recycling. Effective policies to further reduce landfill rates include bans, taxes on landfills, and incentives for recycling.
Where do European waste go?
According to the Landfill Directive, member states must reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfills to 10% or less by 2035 compared to 1995. In 2021, nine member states and two non-EU countries achieved this goal. However, they used “the trick“: They have incinerated a significant portion of urban waste.
Data from Eurostat shows that material recycling and composting have increased from 37 million tons (87 kg per capita) in 1995 to 111 million tons (248 kg per capita) in 2022. The overall share of recycled urban waste has increased from 19% to 48%. However, waste incineration has also steadily increased during the reference period. Since 1995, the amount of urban waste incinerated reached 59 million tons in 2022, an increase of 29 million tons.
The most virtuous countries for landfill disposal.
The landfill disposal rates for urban waste vary significantly between European countries. Between 2010 and 2021, almost all countries (except Germany, which disposes of tiny amounts of waste in landfills) have reduced their reliance on landfills. Lithuania, Slovenia, Estonia, Bulgaria, and Finland have achieved the most significant reductions. However, some countries, such as Malta, Greece, and Romania, have made minimal progress. Italy has practically halved the waste disposed of in landfills during the reference period. However, our country still needs to cut current volumes in half to meet the targets by 2035.
