EEA EFTA States at risk of missing waste targets

A new report by the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA) finds that Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway risk missing some of the 2025 targets for the preparation for re-use and recycling of municipal waste, and for the recycling of packaging waste.

EEA waste legislation requires States to reach certain waste targets. The two headline targets require States, by 2025, to prepare for re-use or recycle 55% of their municipal solid waste, and to recycle more than 65% of their total packaging waste. Further material-specific targets are foreseen for packaging made of glass, ferrous metals, paper and cardboard, plastic and wood. A target to divert municipal waste from landfilling is also foreseen by 2035.

The Early Warning Report assesses the likelihood of the three countries meeting the 2025 targets for municipal and packaging waste, aiming to identify shortfalls and possible measures to help improve their waste management performance. Municipal waste consists of various waste from households and other sources and packaging waste consists of material used for the containment of goods. The report also includes a preliminary assessment of the countries' progress towards meeting the 2035 target to reduce landfilling of municipal waste.

This report shows that Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are making continuous progress towards reaching the 2025 waste targets. However, all three EEA EFTA States are at risk of missing at least one of the 2025 targets. Further efforts are therefore needed to increase their recycling rates by the end of 2025 and beyond. The report includes examples of good practices and recommendations in all three countries.

The Early Warning Report for the 2025 waste targets is the first report issued by ESA for the EEA EFTA States, as required by the waste directives. As part of the Circular Economy Package, the Waste Framework Directive, the Landfill of Waste Directive and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive set requirements and targets to increase the recycling and reuse of waste to stimulate Europe's transition towards a circular economy. These directives form part of the EEA Agreement. Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are therefore subject to the same legal framework and targets on waste management as the EU Member States.

"The shift to a circular economy is paramount in the green transition, and turning waste into resources is key to achieving those goals. We hope the Early Warning Report will be a reminder of this big challenge, but also a supporting tool for the EEA EFTA States to improve their waste-management performance and share best practices," said ESA Vice-President Árni Páll Árnason.

The present report is based on information submitted by Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein pursuant to the waste directives, and on assessments carried out by the European Environment Agency. The European Environment Agency's assessments are available here.

The Early Warning Report is accompanied by country factsheets illustrating each country's progress towards meeting its targets and highlighting the key findings, assessment of challenges and opportunities, and examples of good practices.

ESA will revisit the EEA EFTA States' progress towards the 2030 targets in its next Early Warning Report.

Read ESA's report here.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.