Slovenia and Germany had the highest municipal solid waste (MSW) recycling rates among OECD countries in 2022, at 55.3 and 47 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, South Korea boasted a recycling rate of some 54 percent in 2021. Of the 10 highest ranked recycling rates within OECD, nine were European countries. In contrast, the recycling rate in Costa Rica was below five percent. Who generates the most MSW? With a recycling rate of less than 25 percent, the United States is the biggest producer of municipal solid waste across the globe, followed closely by China. With landfilling ranking as the most common method of MSW disposal in these two countries, they are home to some of the largest MSW landfills in the world, with over 5,000 tons being dumped daily at each one. In terms of municipal waste generation per capita, the United States ranks second in the world, behind Denmark. How is MSW recycled? Municipal solid waste recycling involves a series of processes aimed at recovering valuable materials from the waste stream and diverting them from landfill or incineration. After the waste is collected and sorted at recycling facilities, recyclables undergo processing such as shredding, crushing, or melting to convert the materials into a usable form. The processed recyclables are then sent to manufacturers who use them as raw materials for producing new goods. Recycling practices can vary across regions, and not all materials are easily recyclable.

The highest recycling rates for household waste in Germany were recorded for old electrical equipment and glass at 100 percent each as of 2022. Other figures on this graph are confirmation of the German recycling system with specific recycling separation via designated containers.

The recycling rate of municipal solid waste (MSW) in the United States stood at 32.1 percent in 2018. Although recycling rates in the North American country have increased considerably since the 1990s, it has slowed down in recent years, experiencing little change since 2010.

This publication covers annual estimates for waste collected by local authorities in England and the regions. These statistics are based on data submitted by all local authorities in England to WasteDataFlow on the waste they collect and manage.

The methodology and recycling explainer documents give background and context to this statistical notice, accompanying datasets and the waste and recycling measures they present.

There is also a further historical note on the definition of local authority collected waste relating to earlier releases.

The entire raw dataset is available in CSV format and can be found here: https://www.data.gov.uk/dataset/0e0c12d8-24f6-461f-b4bc-f6d6a5bf2de5/wastedataflow-local-authority-waste-management" class="govuk-link">WasteDataFlow - Local Authority waste management - data.gov.uk

Historic releases

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20250102235615/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results" class="govuk-link">2022-2023

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20230802024231/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results-202122" class="govuk-link">2021- 2022

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20220503105415/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results" class="govuk-link">2020 - 2021

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20210728220801/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results" class="govuk-link">2019-2020

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20200604042448/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results" class="govuk-link">2018 - 2019

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20190903035029/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results" class="govuk-link">2017 - 2018

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20181207030346/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results" class="govuk-link">2016 - 2017

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20170418015547/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results" class="govuk-link">2015 - 2016 This includes the ad hoc release entitled “Provisional 2016/17 local authority data on waste collection and treatment for England (April to June and July to September 2016)”.

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20160512131028/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results" class="govuk-link">2014 - 2015

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20150401112814/https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results" class="govuk-link">2013 - 2014

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20140321171631/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results" class="govuk-link">2012 - 2013

Historic datasets

Historic datasets

For each Community District, its Recycling Diversion rate (percentage of total municipal solid waste collected by the Department of Sanitation that is disposed of by recycling) and Capture Rate (percentage of total Paper or Metal/Glass/Plastic in the waste stream that is disposed of by recycling). For more information about DSNY's recycling programs, see: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dsny/site/services/recycling. Capture rate is the amount of materials set out for residential recycling collection as a percentage of designated recyclable materials in both recycling and refuse streams. This ratio measures how much of the targeted materials are actually being recycled, which is a measure of how successfully such materials are recycled. Please note that since 2013, DSNY no longer uses capture rate information. For information on what is in NYC's waste, see: http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dsny/site/resources/reports/waste-characterization.

Dataset from Singapore Department of Statistics. For more information, visit https://data.gov.sg/datasets/d_daf568968ab40dc81e7b08887a83c8fa/view

This dataset consists of 34 transcripts of semi-structured qualitative in-depth interviews with households in areas of 4 countries with high/low consumer recycling rates (England, Scotland, Spain, Germany). The aim was to explore how they engaged with the use and disposal of plastic packaging. We looked specifically at social practices within different households as this is a neglected but important site for managing waste. We explored social practices, perceptions, emotions, knowledge, and understandings of plastics packaging (recycling, repurposing, retaining, reusing, refusing). The interviews shed light on the value of plastics recycling which is understood widely but in practice the lived experience of plastics recycling is complex and frequently requires negotiating relationships. Ideas about classification systems and sorting differ considerably for cultural reasons; inter- generational perspectives on the value of plastics are also apparent and better understanding of these issues will help us shed light on the complex social context of circular economies.

A dataset highlighting recycling and demolition waste statistics across different regions.

Click here to download these data in a file geodatabase. Log into ArcGIS Online to download data directly from this feature service. Create an ArcGIS Online account.On America Recycles Day, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a National Recycling Goal to increase the U.S. recycling rate of materials generated in municipal solid waste (MSW) to 50 percent by 2030. To further this goal and support the building of new recycling infrastructure through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), EPA developed a map displaying estimated generation of recyclable materials, estimated recycled quantities, existing recycling infrastructure, potential recycling end markets, and other MSW infrastructure such as landfills and transfer stations. The map can be used to identify infrastructure gaps, facilitate a needs analysis, and better understand where funding could be allocated to enhance markets.

This dataset provides estimated tons generated and recycled by U.S. ZIP code and material. It relies on materials management reports and surveys from various states and regions, State Measurement Program (SMP) data, the Ball Corporation's Fifty States of Recycling, EPA's EPA’s Excess Food Opportunities Map, and the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey dataset. EPA estimated the quantities generated and recycled by ZIP code by dividing state reported generation and recycled quantities by the population for each state and for each material to arrive at state-specific per capita rates. Those per capita rates were then applied to the population of each ZIP code in each corresponding state. By clicking on the map, the user can see the estimated tons generated per capita and recycled per capita. Estimated recycling potential for each material is the difference between estimated tons generated and estimated tons recycled. The ZIP codes with the greatest difference in generated and recycled tons have higher estimated recycling potential.

The data were then integrated with a U.S. Census Bureau Tiger Database ZIP code shapefile to create the resulting data layer. The ZIP code shapefile was simplified to remove vertices. This dataset includes 16 recyclable material types: aluminum, cardboard, electronics, food waste, glass, HDPE bottles #2, PET bottles #1, PET other #1, PP (polypropylene) containers #5, rigid plastics #3 to #7, steel cans, tires, paper, textiles, yard trimmings, and wood. Note that there are certain materials for which data are not available for every state. In these cases, the layer will only display ZIP codes where data are available.

The map provides estimated U.S. recycling quantities, infrastructure, materials markets, and supporting market factors using the best available data at the time the map was developed (2021-2022). While data sources range from 2011 to 2021, most data are from 2018-2021. The map was created and by Industrial Economics, Inc. (IEc), a consultancy supporting EPA to develop the Recycling Infrastructure and Market Opportunities Map. The map is managed by EPA’s Office of Land and Emergency Management. This project was supported in part by an appointment to the Research Participation Program at the Office of Land and Emergency Management, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education through an interagency agreement between the U.S. Department of Energy and EPA.

This statistic displays the recycling rates of select countries in 2015. During this time, Austria's recycling rate reached some 63 percent. The share of waste diverted from the landfill remains high in many countries in Europe, as these countries have developed successful recycling programs.

Recycling rates worldwide – additional information Many countries have developed successful recycling programs, with Austria and Germany boasting the highest recycling rates in 2015 worldwide at 63 and 62 percent, respectively. Taiwan recycled the third largest proportion of municipal waste, putting the country on par with international leaders, with Singapore and Belgium coming in fourth and fifth. While some places offer elaborate setups for recycling and their residents take pains to sort their waste, some people fail to approach waste management the same concern. Two of the more developed countries, Canada and Japan, for example, fell to the bottom of the table, reaching only 27 and 21 percent of recycling rates.
Despite rapidly increased recycling rates in some countries, many countries are still lagging behind and wasting volumes of recyclable resources by sending them to landfills. By 2025, worldwide waste generation per capita is projected to amount to 1.42 kilograms per day, with the OECD area topping the list, generating more than 2 kilograms of waste per day. That same year, it is estimated that the higher one’s income is, the more municipal solid waste he or she is going to produce in urban areas. Albeit the lack of formal recycling systems in developing countries, people make a living from salvaging recyclable materials has helped reduce waste generation. Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, for instance, are forecast to generate a below-average amount of waste per day in 2025. The worldwide recycling market is expected to be on the rise over the next decade, from 21 billion euros in market value in 2015 to 35 billion euros in 2020. Major waste management companies continue to benefit from the growing market. Veolia Environnement ranked first in terms of revenue in 2015, generating almost 30 billion U.S. dollar revenue, with Suez Environnement and Waste Management from the United States ranked second and third. These companies often operate waste-to-energy facilities, provide single-stream recycling and produce landfill-gas-to-energy in order to increase recycling rates.

Locations of public recycling bins throughout NYC. For information on what to recycle in NYC, see: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dsny/site/services/recycling.

Data regarding the yearly operations of the Sanitation Division of Public Works. Sanitation is responsible for providing weekly collection and disposal of household solid waste and curbside recycling pick-up, as well as seasonal bi-weekly yard waste from residences inside the corporate City limits. Sanitation also collects large items, such as furniture and appliances, from residences on a request basis. Additionally, Sanitation provides trash collection for City Hall, downtown containers, City parks, various City facilities and numerous special events in the community. A couple of notes regarding these statistics: The City of Bloomington Sanitation Modernization Program officially launched in October 2017. This program eliminated trash and yard waste stickers in favor of directly billing customers for their monthly trash cart rentals and yard waste pick-ups via their utility bills. Also part of the modernized sanitation program, the City of Bloomington's recycling operations converted from co-mingled to single stream collection in 2017. This means that all recyclable materials (metal, cans, glass, fiber, paper, etc.) are now all collected together instead of separately. Additionally, fiber and scrap rebates provided to the City of Bloomington by its recycling provider were effectively ended in 2017. This was largely due to major changes in international demand and fluctuations in the domestic commodities market. Note: Public Works Department division data sets prior to 2014 are available upon request.

This dataset contains information on the Town’s current collection schedule, including pick-up day and recycling week designation.The Town of Cary collects garbage weekly at the curb on the same day as yard waste collection. The Town provides rollout carts for household garbage that should be rolled to the curb each week. Rows in this dataset represent contiguous geographical areas (polygons) containing addresses on the same route. They do not represent individual addresses on a route or distinct routes. Check out the 'Map' tab to see information for your address.The Town collects recycling every other week on the same day as garbage and yard waste collection.For more information please refer to Public Work's web page.This dataset is updated following alterations to solid waste and/or recycling routes.

Each year the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) produces a report titled Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: Facts and Figures. It includes information on municipal solid waste (MSW) generation and management. The 2018 report provides information on recycled commodity values for MSW, and information on construction and demolition debris, which is outside of the scope of MSW, but is a significant component of the non-hazardous waste stream. The Facts and Figures report also provides summary information on the benefits of recycling from EPA’s 2020 Recycling Economic Information Report. The Facts and Figures webite includes recent reports (2012 to 2018) as well as historical information on materials in the U.S. municipal waste stream 1960 to 2018 (in tons). The reports for both current and historical waste prevention can be accessed at EPA’s sustainable materials management (SMM) website. The recent Annual Facts and Figures reports are accessible at the following link: https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling. Historical data as well as studies and summary tables related to the Advancing Sustainable Materials Management Report are accessible here: https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/studies-summary-tables-and-data-related. An Excel file containing the data from 1960 – 2018 is located here: https://edg.epa.gov/data/PUBLIC/OLEM/Materials_Municipal_Waste_Stream_1960_2018.xlsx. EPA also maintains a list of state and local waste characterization studies (reports are not available for all states). You can search for your state at https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/state-and-local-data-about-materials-waste-and.

This dataset is a monthly breakdown of the amount of tonnage diverted from the landfill in the City of Buffalo. Garbage tonnage totals are included for comparison. Materials are diverted from landfills in different ways, including curbside recycling, electronics recycling, hazardous waste disposal, tire recycling, scrap metal recycling, yard waste recycling, and asphalt and sidewalk debris diversion.

Table shows the proportion of collected household waste which is recycled or composted.

Figures for 2004/5 were taken from the London Councils organisation as the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) do not list complete LA level statistics for this year.

From 1998/99 to 2003/04 estimates for household waste recycling (including composting) rates are based on data supplied to the annual DEFRA Municipal Waste Management Survey.

From 1998/99 to 2001/02 figures revised since previous publication. Recycling/composting rates for 1998-99 were first published in Annex A of "Guidance in Municipal Waste Management Strategies" published by DEFRA in March 2001 and 1999/00 rates in Annex B of the consultation paper on "Distribution of the £140 Million Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund", available from https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/waste-and-recycling-statistics

The recycling rate is calculated as set out below.

For Waste Collection Authorities (WCA) and Unitary Authorities (UA):
X/Y x 100, where:
X = Tonnage of household waste collected by the WCA or UA which is sent for recycling/composting (including private/voluntary collections of household waste for recycling)
Y = Total tonnage of household waste collected by the WCA or UA (including private/voluntary collections of household waste for recycling)

For Waste Disposal Authorities (WDA):
X/Y x 100, where:
X = Tonnage of household waste collected by the WDA which is sent for recycling plus tonnage of household waste which is sent for recycling by the constituent WCAs (including private/voluntary collections of household waste for recycling)
Y = Total tonnage of household waste collected at Civic Amenity sites by the WDA plus total tonnage of household waste collected by constituent WCAs (including private/voluntary collections of household waste for recycling)

Annual Results for Local authority collected waste management published by are available here.

For more Local Authority Waste and Recycling Information visit the WRAP Portal. The site is accessible to the public but does require registration on the first visit.

This dataset provides statistics on recycling results in Tainan City. (Unit: kg)

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The principal aim of the project was to investigate the socio-economic factors that determine recycling rates across local authorities in the UK and why recycling rates vary. To achieve this, the project objectives were to:

• (i) provide a theoretical framework for economic determinants of the proportion of waste recycled as an aggregate quantity and differentiated by material type;
• (ii) construct a panel dataset covering all local authorities;
• (iii) establish the statistical significance of all the variables expected to have explanatory power through panel data econometric analysis;
• (iv) carry out sensitivity tests to validate the model;
• (v) draw implications for recycling policy both at local and national level.

The data deposited at the UK Data Archive comprise the panel dataset described above. Source data used to construct the dataset were taken from the WasteDataFlow website, a web-based system for municipal waste data reporting by UK local authorities to government, where they are used by the Department for Environmental and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and other departments to produce statistics. Office for National Statistics data on regional socio-economic characteristics were also used.

Further information about the project may be found on the ESRC's Examining the variation in household recycling rates across the UK award webpage.


Main Topics:

The data cover waste collection, waste disposal and recycling rates across local authorities.

“Waste Less” is a mobile app developed by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Its database stores the location and details of various recyclable collection points all over Hong Kong.