In this chapter, we learn that Construction and Demolition Activities were the largest generators of waste in both Ireland and the EU in 2020. We see that when mineral waste is excluded, waste generated in Ireland decreased between 2018 and 2020. However, waste generated by the Household, Manufacturing, and the Water and Sewerage sectors increased over the period. Hazardous waste produced in Ireland decreased between 2010 and 2020, but remains above the EU average. The proportion of waste recycled in Ireland in 2020 was below the EU average, but 90% of packaging waste was recovered in 2021.
In 2020, 32.6% of Ireland's total waste was generated from Construction and Demolition Activities, 22.4% was from Manufacturing and 12.6% was from activities producing Waste water. In the EU27, 37.5% of waste resulted from Construction and Demolition Activities, 23.4% was from Mining and Quarrying, 10.8% was from Waste water Activities and 10.6% resulted from Manufacturing. See Figure 5.1 and Table 5.1.
Ireland | EU27 | |
Mining and quarrying | 9.37250436680805 | 23.388193783514 |
Manufacturing | 22.3632819918289 | 10.6488080038998 |
Energy | 0.97636905754824 | 2.32688781076627 |
Waste/water | 12.5859180252412 | 10.7996935862021 |
Construction and demolition | 32.5978522894562 | 37.4739432205947 |
Other economic activities | 10.1121211894763 | 5.91796466956057 |
Households | 11.9919530796411 | 9.44450892546252 |
In 2020, 7.45 million tonnes of waste were generated in Ireland, decreasing from 7.84 million tonnes in 2018, this represents a decline of 4.9%. Of the waste generated in Ireland in 2020, Water Supply, Sewerage etc. accounted for 1.94 million tonnes, Households for 1.92 million tonnes and Manufacturing 1.81 million tonnes. See Figure 5.2 and Table 5.2.
2012 | 2014 | 2016 | 2018 | 2020 | |
Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 96251 | 96251 | 105033 | 296865 | 275414 |
Manufacturing | 2523230 | 1471941 | 2357486 | 1673246 | 1815147 |
Electricity, gas, steam etc. | 367982 | 319317 | 311521 | 146727 | 119633 |
Water supply; sewerage, etc. | 1936908 | 3024621 | 2078821 | 1479347 | 1944943 |
Construction | 69874 | 68380 | 93955 | 101751 | 353033 |
Services (excl sale of waste) | 1417254 | 1215735 | 1913451 | 2548655 | 1004242 |
Households | 1649023 | 1514985 | 1502080 | 1580322 | 1923311 |
Other | 39765 | 48873 | 29416 | 15089 | 19261 |
The total amount of hazardous waste generated in Ireland declined to 5.5% in 2020 down from 10% in 2010. In 2020, hazardous waste accounted for 4.4% of total waste produced in the EU27. See Figure 5.3 and Table 5.3.
2010 | 2020 | |
Ireland | 9.95681149636306 | 5.47792238318684 |
EU27 | 4.10366487414705 | 4.43510759302676 |
In 2020, 36.2% of waste treated in Ireland resulted in heat recovery from incineration, 32.6% went for recycling and 28.3% went to landfill. In the EU27, 40.4% of waste went to landfill, 39.9% was recycled and 6.5% resulted in heat recovery from incineration. See Figure 5.4 and Table 5.4.
Country | Ireland | EU27 |
---|---|---|
Recovery - recycling | 32.5750116328036 | 39.9104891130608 |
Recovery - backfilling | 2.61437286604044 | 12.6639637491057 |
Energy recovery | 36.2123652712623 | 6.53876014228374 |
Disposal - landfill and other | 28.3050974393099 | 40.3895042903319 |
Disposal - incineration without energy recovery | 0.3 | 0.5 |
Material footprint refers to the total amount of raw materials extracted to meet final consumption demands. It is one indication of the pressures placed on the environment to support economic growth and social activity. The material footprint rose in Ireland from 117.5 million tonnes in 2010 to 240.5 by 2019. The material footprint per person also rose over this time period, from 25.8 kg to 49.3 kg. Material footprint per GDP decreased from 2.0 to 1.7 US dollars per kg between 2010 and 2019. See Figure 5.5 and Table 5.5.
X-axis label | Material Footprint |
---|---|
2015 | 129.8936 |
2016 | 151.1378 |
2017 | 148.7491 |
2018 | 179.4908 |
2019 | 240.471 |
The recovery rate of packaging waste in Ireland increased from 25% in 2001 to 94% in 2019, before falling to 90% in 2021. See Figure 5.6 and Table 5.6.
Recovery rate | |
2001-2004 average | 39 |
2005-2009 average | 63 |
2010-2014 average | 84 |
2015 | 91 |
2016 | 88 |
2017 | 86 |
2018 | 91 |
2019 | 94 |
2020 | 93 |
2021 | 90 |
Learn about our data and confidentiality safeguards, and the steps we take to produce statistics that can be trusted by all.