Belgian household waste quantity smaller than European average
416 kg. This is how much household waste the average Belgian inhabitant produced in 2020, well below the EU average of 505 kg. This puts our country in a great sixth place.
In 1995, Eurostat, the European Statistical Office, began keeping track of how much household waste the various EU member states produce annually. Back then, Belgians generated an average of 455 kg. In 2005, the absolute lowest point, our waste mountain had grown to 482 kg on average. So, with a reduction of almost 14% by 2020, we have cut it considerably since 2005. The high achievers in Europe are Romania, Poland and Hungary, who generate just 287 kg, 346 kg and 364 kg respectively. On the other hand, Denmark, Luxembourg, Malta and Germany must try harder, with 845 kg, 790 kg, 643 kg and 632 kg respectively.
Some 226 million tons of household waste were generated in the European Union in 2020, an increase of 1% compared to 2019. According to Renewi, the largest waste management and recycling company in the Benelux, Belgian municipalities collected 10% more in 2020 because people spent more time at home due to the corona lockdowns. Businesses and the hospitality industry, however, saw reduced piles of waste.
Soon, you may not even need a rubbish bag... But you'll have to ban all advertising print, food waste, disposable nappies, drink from your own reusable cup and water bottle, buy second-hand, look out for sharing and exchange platforms, and print smart or even better not at all.