Environmental Indicators Ireland 2020

Municipal waste generated in Ireland peaked at 3.4 million tonnes in 2007, up from 2.7 million tonnes in 2001. It fell to 2.6 million tonnes in 2014, before increasing to 2.8 million tonnes in 2017.

Municipal waste per capita fell from 800 kilogrammes per capita in 2006 to 564 in 2014. By 2017 it had risen to 578 kilogrammes per capita.

There was a sharp decrease in the proportion of municipal waste sent to landfill in Ireland from 86.7% in 2001 to 20.8% in 2014. It was 23.6% in 2017.

The recovery rate of packaging waste (such as paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, steel, aluminium and wood) in Ireland increased from 25% in 2001 to 91% in both 2014 and 2015. It fell back to 86% in 2017.

The total weight of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) collected in Ireland fell from 51,500 tonnes in 2007 to 39,600 in 2013, before rising to 52,300 in 2017.

Large household appliances accounted for 59.1% of total WEEE collected in 2017 and small household appliances for 14.5%.