Slovakia ranks among the best in plastic recycling in the EU.

The EU average, meanwhile, is only 42.1 %, meaning that Slovakia outperforms most Member States. Only Belgium (59.5 %) and Latvia (59.2 %) perform better.

Less Plastic, More Recycling

Last year, each EU resident generated an average of 35.3 kg of plastic packaging waste, of which 14.8 kg was recycled. The good news is that the amount of waste per person fell slightly, while recycling increased – which also applies to Slovakia. Our country has been improving plastics collection and sorting over the long term, thanks to infrastructure modernisation, the introduction of a deposit return scheme for PET bottles and cans, and growing environmental awareness.

Waste as an Opportunity

The Slovak model shows that systematic measures work. Collection systems have improved, people are sorting more waste, and municipal services can handle waste more efficiently. Although there is still a long way to go towards full sustainability, the results from 2023 demonstrate that Slovakia is on the right track.

Source: Eurostat – Packaging waste