Overview:

12.5.1 National recycling rate, tons of material recycled (Tier II)

Two statistics, total waste recycled and total waste generation, are needed to produce this indicator. For waste recycled, data is needed is the treatment of municipal waste and hazardous waste with an overlap in between. While for the total waste generation, data is being collected through UNSD/UNEP Questionnaire on Environmental Statistics. Some of the statistics collected by UNSD which can be used to produce the indicator are available on the UNSD website.

For the purposes of this indicator, the National Recycling Rate will be defined as the quantity of material recycled in the country plus quantities exported for recycling out of total waste generated in the country, minus material imported intended for recycling. Note that recycling includes codigestion/anaerobic digestion and composting/aerobic process, but not controlled combustion (incineration) or land application.

Both waste generation (the indicator denominator) and the recycling rate are proposed as useful for analyzing the move toward a circular, less resource intensive economy. The following sub-indicators are proposed:

  • National recycling rate
  • Total Waste Generated (excluding construction, demolition and agriculture) by type, including e-waste
  • National recycling rate total and by type, including e-waste

This indicator will be collected through the UNEP/UNSD Joint Questionnaire on Environment Statistics and supplemented with data collection from the UNEP Indicator Reporting Information System.

Resources:

12.5.1 Metadata
12.5.1 Methodology
12.5.1 Data
12.5.1 Contact: unep-ewad-sdgs@un.org

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