Waste management and recycling in Greece: Data and comparison with the EU

Waste management and recycling are key pillars of the European strategy for sustainable development. Despite progress in several countries, Greece still lags significantly behind the European Union average.

The situation in Greece (data up to 2022)

According to the latest available data from the European Environment Agency (EEA) and Eurostat:

•    The recycling and preparation for reuse rate for municipal waste is around 17%, while the EU average is around 49%.

• Landfilling remains the dominant method of municipal waste management in Greece, in contrast to Europe, where landfilling is steadily declining.

• Regarding packaging waste, Greece recorded a recycling rate of only 43% in 2022, compared to 65% for the EU. This is a significant drop compared to 2010–2015, when rates exceeded 60%.

The European Union's goals

The EU has set ambitious goals:

•    55% recycling/reuse of municipal waste by 2025.

•    65% recycling of packaging waste by 2025.

•    Maximum 10% landfill by 2035.

Based on current data, Greece is far from achieving these goals, which demonstrates the need to intensify efforts by the state, businesses and individuals.

Source: HELMEPA.gr, European Environment Agency (EEA), Eurostat