Municipal waste generated in New Zealand
New Zealand: Municipal waste generated was 3.51 million tonnes in 2023. β² Rising
Municipal waste generated in New Zealand, 2002β2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for municipal waste generated in New Zealand is 3.51 million tonnes, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 2.5% on the previous year and up 30.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, municipal waste generated in New Zealand peaked at 3.71 million tonnes in 2018 and was at its lowest, 2.51 million tonnes, in 2011.
That places New Zealand 42nd out of 75 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 18 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.11 million tonnes | 3.02 million tonnes | 3.19 million tonnes | 4 |
| 2010s | 3.05 million tonnes | 2.51 million tonnes | 3.71 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.51 million tonnes | 3.38 million tonnes | 3.60 million tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More environment data for New Zealand
- Standard Deviation 0.379 Β°C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.23 Β°C (2025)
- Recovered paper β Production 341,000 t (2024)
- Total fibre furnish β Production 1.38 million t (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard, not elsewhere specified β Import value 15,836 1000 USD (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard, not elsewhere specified β Import quantity 21,938 t (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard β Export value 175,467 1000 USD (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard β Export quantity 276,479 t (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard β Import value 279,819 1000 USD (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard β Import quantity 303,161 t (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is municipal waste generated in New Zealand?
- Municipal waste generated in New Zealand was 3.51 million tonnes in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest municipal waste generated recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 3.71 million tonnes in 2018.
- What is the lowest municipal waste generated recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.51 million tonnes in 2011.
- How does New Zealand rank for municipal waste generated?
- New Zealand ranks 42nd out of 75 countries with data for 2023.
- Is municipal waste generated rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 30.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Municipal waste generated (Tonnes). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV Β· JSON β 18 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).