Waste generation in the EU in 2024: 2.2 billion tonnes, and what lies behind Hungary’s 77% recycling rate?

Waste generation in the EU barely moved in 2024. According to data Eurostat released on 29 October 2026, member states generated 2,196 million tonnes of waste in total, of which 765 million tonnes excluded major mineral waste. That second figure works out at 1,697 kilograms per person. Behind the averages, however, lie very different national profiles, and Hungary is a good example of why a single percentage should never be read in isolation. We look at who generates the waste, what happens to it, and what the Hungarian figures show.

In short: Waste generation in the EU reached 2,196 million tonnes in 2024, of which 765 million tonnes (1,697 kg per person) excluded major mineral waste from mining and construction. Of all treated waste, 42.0% was recycled and 37.8% was landfilled or otherwise disposed of. Hungary ranks second with a 77.1% recycling share of total treatment, yet its recycling rate excluding mineral waste is only 33.6%.

Waste generation in the EU in 2024: the headline figures

Eurostat collects data on waste generation and treatment from member states every two years under Regulation (EC) No 2150/2002. The key numbers from the new 2024 round:

• total waste: 2,196 million tonnes, covering all economic activities and households,
• excluding major mineral waste: 765 million tonnes, or 35% of the total,
• per person, excluding major mineral waste: 1,697 kg,
• total per person: roughly 4.9 tonnes, by our own rounded calculation.

The trend points to a slow decline. In the 2022 round the total stood at 2,216 million tonnes, so the drop over two years is about 0.9%. Waste excluding mineral waste fell faster: for 2022 Eurostat reported 795 million tonnes and 1.8 tonnes per person, now it is 765 million tonnes and 1.7 tonnes. Over twenty years, however, the decline from 779.5 million tonnes in 2004 is only 1.9%, meaning the EU economy generates roughly as much “non-mineral” waste as it did two decades ago.

The differences between member states are huge. Per-person waste excluding mineral waste was highest in Estonia (4,703 kg), linked to oil shale-based energy production, followed by Belgium (3,157 kg) and Bulgaria (2,881 kg). At the other end were Malta (1,092 kg), Ireland (1,199 kg) and Slovenia (1,254 kg).

What is “major mineral waste”, and why treat it separately?

Eurostat treats the large mineral waste streams from mining, quarrying, construction and demolition – tailings, soil, stone, concrete, bricks – as a separate category. The reason is simple: these streams are so heavy that a single country’s mining or construction activity would otherwise drown out every other trend.

In 2022, for example, Finland generated almost 20 tonnes of waste per inhabitant, four times the EU average, mostly because of mining. At EU level, around 65% of all waste generated in 2024 was major mineral waste. This is why indicators excluding mineral waste are far more meaningful than raw totals for comparing countries and for measuring real progress towards a circular economy.

Who generates the waste? Construction and mining dominate

The sectoral breakdown in the Eurostat tables (ten00106) shows how EU waste was split in 2024:

• construction: 839.6 million tonnes, 38.2%
• mining and quarrying: 524.1 million tonnes, 23.9%
• manufacturing: 217.0 million tonnes, 9.9%
• waste management services (collection, treatment, recovery): 209.9 million tonnes, 9.6%
• households: 195.8 million tonnes, 8.9%
• services: 101.4 million tonnes, 4.6%
• energy: 42.0 million tonnes, 1.9%
• water supply, sewerage and remediation: 27.6 million tonnes, 1.3%
• agriculture, forestry and fishing: 25.4 million tonnes, 1.2%
• wholesale of waste and scrap: 13.0 million tonnes, 0.6%

Between 2004 and 2024 the structure shifted markedly. Waste from manufacturing fell by 35%, from energy by 52% and from mining by 27%, while construction waste rose by 26%. The biggest increase came from the waste management sector itself: the waste it generates grew by 170%, from 77.7 to 209.9 million tonnes.

This does not mean more “new” waste is being created. Residues from sorting plants, mechanical-biological treatment and incinerators, sorting rejects and the RDF produced all appear in the statistics as secondary waste. The more waste goes through pre-treatment instead of straight to landfill, the larger this item becomes – so in part it reflects a maturing waste management system.

The biggest two-year shift came in energy: waste fell by a third, from 62.8 million tonnes in 2022 to 42.0 million tonnes, in line with the decline of coal-based power generation. Household waste was essentially flat (195.8 versus 196.2 million tonnes), roughly 435 kg per person by our own calculation. This is not the same as the municipal waste indicator: according to Eurostat’s March release, the EU generated 517 kg of municipal waste per person in 2024, a figure that also includes similar waste from commerce and institutions.

The full picture also includes the stream-specific statistics we covered in recent weeks: food waste reached 129 kg per person, packaging waste 181 kg per person, and separately collected e-waste 12.3 kg per person in 2024.

What happens to the waste? Recycling, backfilling, landfill

According to Eurostat, 61.8% of waste treated in the EU in 2024 went to recovery operations. The breakdown:

• recycling: 42.0% (40.8% in 2022)
• backfilling: 13.3% (14.2% in 2022)
• incineration with energy recovery: 6.5% (6.4% in 2022)
• landfill and other disposal: 37.8% (38.2% in 2022)
• incineration without energy recovery: 0.4% (unchanged)

Backfilling means using waste to fill excavated areas or for engineering and landscaping purposes, replacing other materials. It involves almost exclusively mineral waste and plays a major role in some countries: in Slovenia 67.8% and in Ireland 45.2% of treated waste was used this way.

Recycling exceeded 50% of treatment in 12 member states, led by Italy (87.3%), Hungary (77.1%) and Slovakia (69.8%). Landfill was the dominant treatment in Bulgaria (91.4%), Finland (84.4%) and Sweden (75.1%) – in the two Nordic countries largely because of the weight of mining tailings. Energy recovery plays a minor role at EU level, but accounted for 27.0% of treatment in Denmark and 19.4% in Lithuania.

One important methodological note: treatment data include waste imported into the EU but exclude exported waste, so they cannot be compared directly with generation figures. How much cross-border shipments can shape national rates is something we analysed in detail in our piece on cross-border waste shipments and recycling.

The real test of circularity: recycling without mineral waste

The recycling share of total treatment is heavily inflated by the fact that much construction and demolition rubble can be “recycled” through simple crushing. Eurostat therefore tracks a separate circular economy indicator (cei_wm011): the recycling rate of all waste excluding major mineral waste. This figure says much more about how well plastics, paper, metals, glass, bio-waste and industrial waste are actually circulating.

The EU average in 2024 was 49.4%. The long-term progress is clear – 31.8% in 2004, 38.0% in 2010, 45.9% in 2016 – but recent years show a plateau: 49.1% in 2022 and 47.9% in 2023.

The spread between member states is wide here too:

• leaders: Germany (69.0%), Slovenia (62.4%), Austria (60.7%), the Netherlands (58.0%), Belgium (56.6%), Luxembourg (56.5%)
• laggards: Cyprus (15.8%, provisional), Malta (16.9%), Greece (17.5%), Bulgaria (21.8%), Poland (31.1%), Portugal (32.9%), Hungary (33.6%)

The landfill rate excluding mineral waste (ten00138) stood at 21% at EU level in 2022, down from 27% in 2010. The lowest rates in 2020 were in the Netherlands (2%), Denmark (1%) and Belgium (3%), where landfill has been expensive for decades. How cheap landfill undermines recovery is explained in our European comparison of landfill taxes.

Where does Hungary stand?

Hungary generated 25.75 million tonnes of waste in 2024, 7.1% more than in 2022 (24.05 million tonnes) and about 50% more than in 2020 (17.15 million tonnes). Per person this is roughly 2.7 tonnes by our own calculation, well below the EU average – mainly because mining waste is negligible in Hungary (0.07 million tonnes, 0.3%).

The Hungarian structure is very different from the EU’s:

• construction: 11.78 million tonnes, 45.8% (EU: 38.2%)
• households: 4.37 million tonnes, 17.0% (EU: 8.9%)
• manufacturing: 4.35 million tonnes, 16.9% (EU: 9.9%)
• services: 1.81 million tonnes, 7.0%
• water supply, sewerage and remediation: 1.33 million tonnes, 5.2%
• energy: 1.24 million tonnes, 4.8%
• agriculture: 0.40 million tonnes, 1.6%
• waste management services: 0.33 million tonnes, 1.3%

Almost all of the growth is linked to construction. Construction waste rose from 4.36 million tonnes in 2020 to 10.25 million in 2022 and 11.78 million in 2024, nearly tripling in four years. The dataset does not show the causes; large industrial and infrastructure investments may play a role, as may improved data reporting. Household waste, by contrast, fell from 4.90 to 4.37 million tonnes between 2022 and 2024 (about 456 kg per person by our own calculation).

The 77.1% versus 33.6% paradox

At first glance Hungary is one of the EU’s recycling champions, ranking second only to Italy with 77.1% of treated waste recycled. The indicator excluding mineral waste tells a different story: 33.6%, which is 15.8 percentage points below the EU average of 49.4% and places Hungary among the laggards. The rate was only 11.8% in 2004, so the long-term improvement is substantial, but it has essentially stalled since 2016 (34.7%).

The explanation for the gap is simple: the total treatment rate is lifted by large-scale recovery of construction and demolition rubble. The household, commercial and industrial streams – the ones covered by public waste services and extended producer responsibility – circulate far less well than the EU average. The landfill rate excluding mineral waste was 35% according to the latest available 2020 figure, an improvement on 54% in 2010 but still well above the EU’s 19–21%.

Packaging: missing data, a wide gap

The indicator for packaging recycling under the 2025 target calculation rules (ten00063) only has Hungarian data up to 2022. In that year Hungary’s rate was 42.9%, compared with the EU’s 65.3%, and it was on a downward path (50.1% in 2015). By material, plastics stood at 27.6%, glass at 29.8%, wood at 17.0%, metals at 61.3% and paper at 67.8%.

The lack of Hungarian data for 2023 and 2024 is particularly unfortunate, because these are exactly the years that would show the first effects of the MOHU concession system launched on 1 July 2023 and of the deposit return scheme introduced in 2024. We recently reported in detail on the review of the concession and its expected renegotiation.

Packaging at EU level: the target is met, plastics lag behind

For the EU as a whole, the packaging recycling rate in 2024 was 67.0%, above the 65% target set for 2025. By material:

• paper and cardboard: 85.3% (target: 75%)
• metals: 78.9% (targets: ferrous 70%, aluminium 50%)
• glass: 75.1% (target: 70%)
• wood: 39.5% (target: 25%)
• plastics: 42.4% (target: 50%)

Plastics are therefore the only packaging material still below the 2025 target at EU average level. Belgium (83.2%), Czechia (77.5%) and Italy (76.4%) lead the member states, with Malta (44.5%), Greece (47.1%) and Cyprus (52.2%) at the bottom. The overall packaging recovery rate, including energy recovery, was 81.1%. We analysed the packaging figures in detail in our guide to Eurostat’s 2024 packaging data.

What do the figures mean for Hungarian waste management?

The 2024 round of EU waste statistics offers five lessons.

Look behind the big percentages. Hungary’s 77.1% recycling rate is real, but it is mostly about construction rubble. The performance of public waste services and producer responsibility is measured more credibly by the indicators excluding mineral waste – 33.6% recycling and 35% landfill.

Construction is the biggest item – and the biggest opportunity. Across the EU, one in three tonnes of waste comes from construction; in Hungary it is almost one in two. Using crushed rubble as road base is not yet true circularity; the conditions for higher-value recovery are well illustrated by the Austrian circular construction study.

Growing waste from the treatment sector is also a sign of progress. The EU waste management sector generates more than two and a half times as much secondary waste as twenty years ago. Transparency about where sorting residues and RDF end up – especially in light of available energy recovery capacity – will be a key issue in the coming years.

Households are only one slice. Households account for 8.9% of EU waste and 17.0% in Hungary. Public debate nevertheless focuses almost entirely on them, while industrial and construction streams offer at least as much room for improvement.

No data, no accountability. The absence of Hungarian packaging data after 2022, and of Romania’s 2024 waste generation data in the tables, shows that judging whether EU targets are being met requires timely, verifiable reporting by member states.

FAQ: waste generation in the EU

How much waste was generated in the EU in 2024?

The EU generated 2,196 million tonnes of waste in 2024, according to Eurostat. Of this, 765 million tonnes, or 35%, excluded major mineral waste from mining and construction, equivalent to 1,697 kilograms per person. The total fell by about 0.9% over two years, while waste excluding mineral waste dropped from 795 million tonnes in 2022.

Which sector generates the most waste in the EU?

Construction generates the most waste: 839.6 million tonnes in 2024, or 38.2% of the EU total. Mining and quarrying come second with 23.9%, followed by manufacturing with 9.9%, waste management services with 9.6% and households with 8.9%. Waste from the energy sector fell by a third over two years.

Why does Eurostat count mineral waste separately?

Eurostat counts mineral waste separately because the sheer weight of mining tailings, soil, stone and construction rubble would mask every other trend. Around 65% of all EU waste in 2024 was major mineral waste. Indicators excluding mineral waste are therefore better suited to comparing countries and measuring real progress towards a circular economy.

What was the EU recycling rate in 2024?

The EU recycled 42.0% of treated waste in 2024, up from 40.8% in 2022. Backfilling accounted for 13.3% and energy recovery for 6.5%, while 37.8% was landfilled or otherwise disposed of. The recycling rate excluding major mineral waste was 49.4%, a level that has essentially plateaued in recent years.

How does Hungary perform in waste treatment?

Hungary ranked second in the EU in 2024, recycling 77.1% of all treated waste, behind Italy and ahead of Slovakia. Its recycling rate excluding mineral waste, however, was only 33.6%, well below the EU average of 49.4%. The gap is mainly explained by large-scale recovery of construction and demolition rubble.

How much waste did Hungary generate in 2024?

Hungary generated 25.75 million tonnes of waste in 2024, 7.1% more than in 2022 and about 50% more than in 2020. Almost all of the growth came from construction, whose waste rose from 4.36 to 11.78 million tonnes in four years. Household waste, by contrast, fell from 4.90 to 4.37 million tonnes.

🔗 Official sources and references: 👉

• Eurostat: Waste generation in the EU: 1 697 kg per capita in 2024 (29 October 2026)
• Eurostat Statistics Explained: Waste statistics
• Eurostat: 517 kg municipal waste per capita in 2024 (30 March 2026)
• Eurostat database: env_wasgen, env_wastrt and tables ten00106, ten00108, ten00110, ten00138, ten00062, ten00063 and cei_wm011 (Eurostat waste database)
• Regulation (EC) No 2150/2002 on waste statistics

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