Municipal waste recycled in Japan
Japan: Municipal waste recycled was 8.04 million in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
8.04 million
Change on year
down 1.4%
World rank
10th
of 91 countries
All-time high
10.30 million
in 2007
All-time low
7.86 million
in 2000
Years of data
22
2000–2021
Municipal waste recycled in Japan, 2000–2021
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for municipal waste recycled in Japan is 8.04 million, measured in 2021.
That represents a change of down 1.4% on the previous year and down 12.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, municipal waste recycled in Japan peaked at 10.30 million in 2007 and was at its lowest, 7.86 million, in 2000.
Japan ranks 10th of 91 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Municipal waste recycled in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 7.86 million | — |
| 2001 | 8.25 million | +4.9% |
| 2002 | 8.64 million | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 9.16 million | +6.0% |
| 2004 | 9.40 million | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 10.03 million | +6.7% |
| 2006 | 10.20 million | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 10.30 million | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 9.78 million | -5.1% |
| 2009 | 9.50 million | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 9.45 million | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 9.16 million | -3.1% |
| 2012 | 9.13 million | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 9.12 million | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 8.97 million | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 8.84 million | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 8.62 million | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 8.49 million | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 8.36 million | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 8.24 million | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 8.15 million | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 8.04 million | -1.4% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 8.04 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 948,000, 8.5× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Japan's 8.04 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 5.40 million, 1.5× the median. (7 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9.31 million | 7.86 million | 10.30 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.84 million | 8.24 million | 9.45 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.10 million | 8.04 million | 8.15 million | 2 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 8 Spain 9.32 million compare
- 9 Thailand 9.31 million compare
- 11 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 7.66 million compare
- 11 United Kingdom 7.66 million compare
- 13 Canada 6.75 million compare
More environment data for Japan
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.51 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -4.8 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.358 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.86 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate -3.12 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -2.8 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.4957 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is municipal waste recycled in Japan?
- Municipal waste recycled in Japan was 8.04 million in 2021, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest municipal waste recycled recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 10.30 million in 2007.
- What is the lowest municipal waste recycled recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.86 million in 2000.
- How does Japan rank for municipal waste recycled?
- Japan ranks 10th out of 91 countries with data for 2021.
- Is municipal waste recycled rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Municipal waste recycled (Tonnes). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).