In 2019, of the 34.4 kilograms of plastic waste generated for each person living in the European Union, only 14.1 kilograms or 41% was recycled, according to the latest figures published by Eurostat, the European statistics office.
In 10 years, between 2009 and 2019, the volume of plastic packaging waste generated per capita (i.e. the volume put on the market divided by the number of inhabitants) has increased by 24%. And while the volume of plastic packaging waste recycling has increased by 50%, "the amount of non-recycled plastic packaging has increased by 2.0 kg per capita since 2009 due to a larger increase in the absolute value of plastic packaging waste generated" says the institute.
Nine states recycled more than half of the plastic packaging waste generated, led by Lithuania (70%) and Czech Republic (61%). France comes at the end of the table of countries that recycle the most plastic packaging waste with only 27% recycling, just ahead of Malta (11% 2018 data).
Only Malta does not meet the current target of 22.5% of plastic packaging recycled. But with the latest European directive on packaging and packaging waste, which since 2018 sets the recycling target at 50% by 2025 and then 55% by 2030, it will be joined by many other countries including France.
