In conjunction with the recent World Environment Day, Eunomia Research Consulting published the Global Recycling League Table – Phase One Report, in collaboration with the Welsh Government, Reloop, Tomra and other companies. The report ranks the recycling of municipal waste from 48 countries, aiming to standardize recycling data reporting and provide a clear picture of global recycling efforts.
Table of Contents
The Top 10 Countries by Recycling Rate
The following list represents the countries with the best calculated municipal recycling rates.
- Austria – 59 %
- Wales – 58.6 %
- Taiwan – 52.5 %
- Germany – 52.04 %
- Belgium – 52.02 %
- Netherlands – 51.5 %
- Denmark – 50.9 %
- Slovenia – 49.6 %
- Northern Ireland – 45.4 %
- South Korea – 45.3 %
8 of the 10 countries are in Europe, reflecting the region’s longstanding strategies and policies that have driven significant investments in collection, logistics, sorting, and reprocessing infrastructure.
Collection Rates
In addition, there are 7 countries achieving a collection rate of 90 % or more: Finland, Japan, Norway, Germany, Chile and Denmark.
However, while the 2029 target for 90 % separate collection for recycling of single-use plastic waste in the EU is slowly approaching, many Member States are still below the 2025 target of 77 %. This includes Greece (28 %), Poland (41 %), Italy (58 %), France (60 %), Ireland (62 %), Slovenia (65 %), Netherlands (70 %), Austria (75 %) and Spain (75 %).
Key Practices of Leading Nations
According to the report, the top recycling nations share several practices that contribute to their municipal recycling reporting:
- Clear and consistent definitions, measurement points, and detailed reporting by key materials, types, and sources.
- Distinguishing between estimates of waste generation, collection, and recycling to ensure accurate data.
- Adopting high-performing practices and formalizing the informal recycling sectors to protect health, raise living standards, and enhance data reporting.
General Findings
The report reveals that no country has yet surpassed a 60 % municipal waste recycling rate, indicating a global challenge in achieving higher recycling efficiency. While western European countries dominate the top ranks due to long-standing investments in recycling infrastructure and public awareness campaigns, the study also notes that countries with lower income levels face challenges like informal waste sectors and inadequate reporting systems, which do not help in providing accurate recycling performance assessments.
The report also points out the variability of recycling rates for specific materials, with metal beverage containers achieving the highest rates compared to glass and plastic
Future Directions
The report is part of a two-phase study, with a second edition expected later this year. This next phase will include even more countries and provide a broader view of global recycling efforts, in order to help foster a global circular economy through improved recycling practices and standardized data reporting.
