Waste Generation

EPA Circular Economy and Waste Statistics data release Dec 2024. Data reference year 2022.

Waste generation refers to the total tonnage of waste that is disposed of and enters the waste management system in Ireland each year. In 2022, 15.7 million tonnes of waste was generated in Ireland (figure 1).

Figure 1: In 2022 Ireland generated 15.7 million tonnes of waste.

For reference year 2021, the EPA developed a new approach to calculating total waste generation by individual material type. This approach was used again for 2022 data. It gives an annual total figure for waste generation along with a disaggregated view of what materials are present in the different reporting streams. In a circular economy, the aim is to minimise the consumption of new and virgin materials and increase reuse and the use of secondary or recycled materials. Providing detailed information on the types and quantities of materials that make up our waste stream will help inform the development of recycling capacity and circular solutions to reducing overall waste generation.

The calculation of total waste generation measures waste as it is collected and takes account of overlaps across reporting streams to avoid double counting. This waste is then either treated in Ireland or exported for treatment abroad.  Waste generation is reported according to the waste categories in the EU’s waste statistics Regulation 2150/2002. These categories provide detail on the material types that make up our waste.

The waste data is categorised using the European Waste Code (EWC) system (table 1) and allows us to present data on quantities and trends in individual material types and is in addition to the data we provide on waste sources through our statutory reporting e.g. municipal, hazardous, C&D waste, etc.  

Our data on waste generation shows that Mineral Wastes are the largest waste material type found in our waste, accounting for 10.0 million tonnes or two-thirds of all waste generated and includes:

• Soil waste - 6.5 million tonnes;
• Naturally occurring minerals (e.g. waste gravel, crushed rock, sand and clays) - 3 million tonnes; and
• Construction and demolition wastes - 240,000 tonnes.

Non-metallic wastes are the second largest waste category accounting for 2.12 million tonnes or 14% of all waste. This includes plastic, wood, textile, paper and cardboard wastes.

Animal and vegetal wastes, mainly derived from food preparation activities, account for 1.13 million tonnes or 7% of all waste.

Mixed wastes which includes sorting residues, street sweepings and other undifferentiated wastes, accounts for 884,000 tonnes.

Metallic wastes which includes aluminum, copper, lead and other metal wastes account for 463,000 tonnes of waste generated.

Common sludges include waste water treatment sludges, sludges from purification of drinking and process water and cesspit contents account for 424,000 tonnes of total waste.

Discarded equipment includes end-of-life vehicles, WEEE and other discarded machines and equipment components accounts for 237, 000 tonnes.

Other wastes, such as other chemical wastes, chemical compound wastes, chemical preparation wastes, and health care and biological wastes, account for 366, 000 tonnes.

*Click here for the EU’s Guidance on classification of waste according to EWC-Stat categories

Ireland's circular economy action plan commits us to improving from third last in Europe to mid table by 2030 in terms of our used of secondary materials.  This data provides, for the first time, information on the types and quantities of materials in the waste stream that are available to help us build our circular economy.   

To see data from previous years see: Waste Generation Data Archive | Environmental Protection Agency (epa.ie)