Municipal waste recycling rate in Canada
Canada: Municipal waste recycling rate was 17.91 Percentage in 2012. ▼ Falling
Municipal waste recycling rate in Canada, 1996–2012
Source: OECD (2018) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in Percentage.
Analysis
In 2012, municipal waste recycling rate in Canada stood at 17.91 Percentage.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 3.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, municipal waste recycling rate in Canada peaked at 21.2 Percentage in 1998 and was at its lowest, 16.8 Percentage, in 2006.
That places Canada 25th out of 31 countries with data for 2012, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Municipal waste recycling rate in Canada, year by year
| Year | Percentage | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 18.83 Percentage | — |
| 1998 | 21.2 Percentage | +12.6% |
| 2000 | 17.6 Percentage | -17.0% |
| 2002 | 17.35 Percentage | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 17.3 Percentage | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 16.8 Percentage | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 17.47 Percentage | +4.0% |
| 2010 | 17.75 Percentage | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 17.91 Percentage | +0.9% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 17.91 Percentage is below the median for high income countries, which is 26.13 Percentage, 69% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.01 Percentage | 18.83 Percentage | 21.2 Percentage | 2 |
| 2000s | 17.3 Percentage | 16.8 Percentage | 17.6 Percentage | 5 |
| 2010s | 17.83 Percentage | 17.75 Percentage | 17.91 Percentage | 2 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More environment data for Canada
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.76 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.642 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.96 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 2.9 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.7 % 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 -0.3398 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is municipal waste recycling rate in Canada?
- Municipal waste recycling rate in Canada was 17.91 Percentage in 2012, according to OECD (2018) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest municipal waste recycling rate recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 21.2 Percentage in 1998.
- What is the lowest municipal waste recycling rate recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.8 Percentage in 2006.
- How does Canada rank for municipal waste recycling rate?
- Canada ranks 25th out of 31 countries with data for 2012.
- Is municipal waste recycling rate rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2018) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Municipal waste recycling rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Municipal (including household) waste recycling rates, measured as the percentage of total waste generated that is recycled.