Austria and Germany Lead Europe for Highest Recycling Rates
Austria, Germany and Belgium recycled the largest proportion of municipal waste in Europe in 2010, according to the European Environmental Agency (EEA). This is according to a new report from the EEA, which looks at the management of municipal solid waste, mainly consisting of household waste, in 27 EU member states, Croatia, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Turkey.
Although some countries have rapidly increased recycling rates, Europe is still wasting vast quantities of valuable resources by sending them to the landfill, and many countries risk falling short of legally binding recycling targets. Overall 35% of municipal waste was recycled in Europe in 2010, an increase compared to 23% in 2001. But many countries are expected to find it difficult to meet EU-mandated targets to recycle 50% of household and similar waste by 2020.