More waste collected separately by municipalities

On average, 495 kilograms (kg) of waste was collected per person in 2017, 13 percent down on 2007. This comprised 362 kilograms of small and 133 kilograms of bulky household waste, a decrease of 13 and 11 percent respectively. In case of both waste flows, increasingly large quantities are collected separately and, as a result, do not end up as residual waste.

More and more municipalities do not require residents to drop off all waste separately. Instead, they have the residual waste separated after collection. This means that recyclables are collected afterwards from the residual waste and are therefore not incinerated. CBS does not have figures available on this.

More GFT and PMD waste collected

Out of all small household waste, mainly more GFT and packaging waste is collected. In 2007, 80.4 kilograms of GFT waste was collected per person, which increased to 86.4 kg in 2017. During the same period, the volume of collected packagings rose from 0.6 to 15.4 kg per person. On the other hand, less paper is being collected, most likely because less paper is being used for printed newspapers and magazines, for example. Likewise, the volume of small residual waste has been falling for several years, from 242 kg per inhabitant in 2007 to 181 kg in 2017.

Less wood, more bulky residual waste

Out of all types of bulky household waste collected in 2017, only the volume of wood waste was significantly higher relative to 2007, i.e. an increase of 23.5 kg to 25.6 kg per person. The sharpest decline was seen in the amount of bulky residual waste, i.e. from 48.4 kg to 33.4 kg per person. This indicates that relatively higher quantities of waste are separated.

More waste separated in rural areas

Separate waste collection is mainly seen in rural areas. In 2017, 70 percent of household waste was collected separately in non-urban areas. This percentage was lowest in very highly urbanised areas at 31 percent. Non-urban areas mainly collect more GFT waste.