Proportion of municipal waste recycled in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Proportion of municipal waste recycled was 26.2% in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
26.2%
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
31st
of 81 countries
All-time high
27.3%
in 2013
All-time low
8.4%
in 2000
Years of data
22
2000–2022

Proportion of municipal waste recycled in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2000–2022

101520252000201120222000: 8.4 %2001: 9.1 %2002: 10.5 %2003: 13.3 %2004: 15.7 %2005: 18.1 %2007: 22.2 %2008: 23.4 %2009: 24.3 %2010: 25.2 %2011: 26.2 %2012: 26.8 %2013: 27.3 %2014: 27.2 %2015: 27.1 %2016: 27.2 %2017: 26.8 %2018: 27.1 %2019: 26.9 %2020: 25.8 %2021: 26 %2022: 26.2 %

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for proportion of municipal waste recycled in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 26.2%, measured in 2022.

That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and down 2.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of municipal waste recycled in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 27.3% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 8.4%, in 2000.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 31st of 81 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.

Proportion of municipal waste recycled in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of municipal waste recycled (%) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2000 to 2022.
Year % Change
2000 8.4%
2001 9.1% +9.0%
2002 10.5% +15.4%
2003 13.3% +26.9%
2004 15.7% +17.6%
2005 18.1% +15.6%
2007 22.2% +22.4%
2008 23.4% +5.5%
2009 24.3% +3.7%
2010 25.2% +4.0%
2011 26.2% +3.7%
2012 26.8% +2.4%
2013 27.3% +1.8%
2014 27.2% -0.5%
2015 27.1% -0.2%
2016 27.2% +0.1%
2017 26.8% -1.2%
2018 27.1% +1.1%
2019 26.9% -0.7%
2020 25.8% -4.2%
2021 26.0% +0.7%
2022 26.2% +0.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 16.1% 8.4% 24.3% 9
2010s 26.8% 25.2% 27.3% 10
2020s 26.0% 25.8% 26.2% 3

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 28 Netherlands (Kingdom of the) 28.1% compare
  2. 29 Poland 26.7% compare
  3. 30 Bulgaria 26.6% compare
  4. 31 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 26.2% compare
  5. 33 Hungary 24.9% compare
  6. 34 United States of America 23.6% compare

See the full ranking of 84 places →

More environment data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of municipal waste recycled in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Proportion of municipal waste recycled in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 26.2% in 2022, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of municipal waste recycled recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 27.3% in 2013.
What is the lowest proportion of municipal waste recycled recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 8.4% in 2000.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for proportion of municipal waste recycled?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 31st out of 81 countries with data for 2022.
Is proportion of municipal waste recycled rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of municipal waste recycled (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of municipal waste recycled in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-municipal-waste-recycled-percent/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of municipal waste recycled (%)
Unit
%
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
84 places, 1,369 data points, 2000–2022
Last refreshed