Cyprus records low plastic packaging recycling rates in 2024

In 2024, Cyprus recycled only 27.8% of its plastic packaging waste, ranking among the bottom four performers in the European Union, according to newly published Eurostat data. The country generated 23.31kg of plastic packaging waste per capita, with only 6.47kg of that amount being successfully recycled. Lower recycling rates were observed exclusively in Denmark (22.5%), Finland (26.9%), and France (27.4%).

On a broader scale, the European Union saw an overall increase in recycling efficiency, with the average rate rising to 42.4% from 41.6% in 2023. Latvia led the member states with a 71% recycling rate, followed by Belgium, Poland, and the Czech Republic. While the EU generated approximately 81.5 million tonnes of packaging waste in 2024—equivalent to 181kg per person—the data shows a decade-long trend where both the generation of waste and recycling efforts have increased. Between 2014 and 2024, plastic packaging waste per capita across the EU rose by 6.1kg, while the amount recycled grew by 3.4kg.