The share of household waste recycling in the EU reaches 48.2% in 2023

The eleventh UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 11) - 'sustainable cities and human settlements' - aims to make the human environment safer, more inclusive and greener. This means access to housing, transport, energy, public spaces and clean air for all, regardless of social status.

Eurostat tracks the EU's progress in this area through a number of indicators. One of the key ones is the level of municipal waste recycling, i.e. everything that households and small businesses throw away, from food residues to packaging. This indicator is important not only as a marker of environmental awareness, but also as an indicator of the extent to which cities are adapting to the principles of the circular economy.

In 2023, the EU recycling share reaches 48.2%, slightly higher than in 2018 (46.4%) and significantly higher than in 2008, when it was only 36.6%. However, despite the overall increase, there is some pullback from the peak of 49.9% recorded in 2021. This shows that progress is not linear and the recycling system requires continuous attention and improvement.

The EU has set a target of recycling at least 60% of household waste by 2030. Achieving this goal requires not only technical solutions, but also changes in the everyday culture of consumption: waste reduction, separate collection, conscious consumption and participation of citizens themselves.

It is important to realise that SDG 11 is not just about waste. It is a much broader concept that includes the development of public transport, sustainable urban planning, green areas, reducing air pollution and improving the energy efficiency of buildings. Recycling is only one of the indicators, but it reflects many things: the level of infrastructure development, the availability of environmental solutions for citizens and the involvement of local authorities.