Environmental Indicators Ireland 2025 – Economy, Emissions and Energy

This chapter contains data on the amount of municipal waste generated in Ireland per capita, compared with other EU Member States. The volume of municipal waste generated is broken down between landfill, incineration with energy recovery, recycling and compost. Data is also presented on particular waste streams including packaging waste and electrical waste. Finally, one indicator relevant for measuring the circular economy in Ireland is included – the reuse by households of clothing items purchased as a private, gift, donation or swop in a second-hand shop or marketplace or online.

5.1 Ireland: Municipal waste generated per capita 2001-2023

Municipal waste generated in Ireland was 3.135 million tonnes in 2023, down slightly by 1.8% from the 2022 figure of 3.191million tonnes.

Due to population growth and a reduction in waste generated, the municipal waste per capita figure fell from 615 kilogrammes per capita in 2022 to 593 kilogrammes per capita in 2023.

5.2 Ireland: Municipal waste disposal routes 2001-2023

The proportion of municipal waste sent to landfill in Ireland fell from an average 66.5% between 2001-2004 to 14.4% in 2023. By contrast, the proportion disposed of by incineration with energy recovery increased from 0.0% to 42.5% over this time frame.

The proportion of waste recycled increased from an average 20.0% in 2001-2004 to 26.0% in 2023 over this period. The percentage of municipal waste treated by compost and anaerobic digestion also increased from an average of 1.3%in 2001-2004 to 15.3% in 2023.

5.3 EU: Municipal waste, in Kilograms, generated per capita 2023

Ireland generated 631 kilogrammes of municipal waste per capita in 2023, the fifth highest number in the EU. The average EU-27 figure was 487 kilogrammes per capita in 2023. Austria had the highest figure in the EU in 2022 at 782 kilogrammes per capita, while Romania and Poland had the lowest figures at 288 kilogrammes per capita.

5.4 Ireland: Recovery of packaging waste 2001-2023

The recovery rate of packaging waste in Ireland has improved significantly over the 2001 to 2023 time period. In 2023, 93.9% of packaging waste was recovered, up from 91.3% in 2022. This compares with an average annual figure of 39.1% for the 2001 to 2004 period.

5.5 Ireland: Electrical and electronic equipment waste collected 2007-2023

In Ireland, the volume of Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) collected has generally increased over the 2007-2023 period.

In 2023, Ireland collected 63,900 tonnes down 11% from a peak of 71,800 tonnes in 2021. However, as Figure 9.2 shows, the 2023 figure was significantly higher than the 2007 figure of 51,500 tonnes.

5.6 Ireland: Number of second-hand clothing items acquired by purchase, private gift, donation or swap, 2024

This indicator contains information on how Irish households reuse products which are purchased/received as a private gift, donation or swap, bought in a second-hand shop or marketplace, or bought through an online platform. Clothing was the most common type of item to be reused, with one quarter (25%) of households having received clothing by purchase, gift, donation or swap in 2024.

Females are more likely than males to have acquired clothing for reuse across all three ways of acquisition. Three in four (75%) males have not bought a second-hand clothing item in a second-hand shop or marketplace compared to 62% of females. 

This data indicates how much progress has been made to achieve the policy objective of creating a more circular economy.