Cyprus 7th in the EU in generating waste

The total amount of municipal solid waste generated in Cyprus in 2021 stood at 570 thousand tonnes compared to 543 thousand tonnes in 2020, recording an increase of 5%. This ranks Cyprus in 7th place in the EU, according to data published by the Statistical Service of Cyprus on Thursday.

According to the data, from the total amount of 455 thousand tonnes treated in 2021, 77.8% was disposed of in landfills, 17.6% was used for recycling, 3.1% was used for energy recovery purposes and 1.5% was composted.

The average municipal waste generation per inhabitant in the European Union in 2020 (data for 2021 are not yet available) was 517 kg. In Cyprus, municipal waste generation per capita reached 609 kg, which is the 7th highest among EU member states.

Austria had the highest municipal waste generation per capita with 834 kg, followed by Denmark with 814 kg, Luxembourg with 790 kg, Belgium with 746 kg, Malta with 643 kg, Germany with 628 kg and Cyprus with 609 kg.