Selected waste streams
Last update of indicator20.10.2023
Indicator definition
The indicator monitors the status and development of the management of selected waste streams (e-waste; used batteries and accumulators; old vehicles; waste tyres; construction and demolition waste) and monitors progress towards meeting the targets set.
Related policy documents and targets
Greener Slovakia, Strategy of the Environmental Policy of the Slovak Republic until 2030 (2019)
- By 2030, the municipal waste recycling rate, including its preparation for re-use, will be increased to 60% and by 2035, the land-filling rate will be reduced to less than 25%. Slovakia will use green public procurement at least in 70% of the total value of the public procurement. It will increase support for green innovation, science and research. Disposal of food waste for supermarkets will be prohibited.
Goal 10.2: Gradual Increase of Fees for Waste Landfill
Goal 10.3: Introduction of Incentive for Waste Collection Depending on the Actual Quantity of Waste
Goal 10.5: Prevention of the Production of Biodegradable and Food Waste
Waste Prevention Programme 2019 — 2025 (2019)
The main objective of the programme is to shift from material recovery as the only priority in the waste management of the Slovak Republic to waste prevention in accordance with the waste management hierarchy of the Slovak Republic.
The target for mixed municipal waste is to reduce it by 50% by 2025 compared to 2016.
The target for biodegradable municipal waste is to reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste in mixed municipal waste by 60% by 2025 compared to 2016.
Waste Management Programme of the Slovak Republic for 2021 — 2025 (2021)
The main objective of the waste management of the Slovak Republic until 2025 is to divert waste away from landfill disposal, especially for municipal waste.
It is necessary to continue to enforce waste management hierarchy with emphasis on waste prevention, preparation for re-use and recycling. The promotion of waste prevention, together with reuse and preparation for reuse, including through the implementation of the measures of the Waste Prevention Programme for 2019 — 2025, are an integral key part of the long-term efforts of the Slovak Republic to reduce the amount of waste generated on the territory of the Slovak Republic.
The target for municipal waste is to increase the rate of separate collection of municipal waste to 60% and the rate of preparation for re-use and recycling of municipal waste to 55% by 2025.
The target for biodegradable waste is to reduce the share of biodegradable municipal waste in mixed municipal waste to 25 % by 2025.
Targets for packaging waste
In the area of packaging waste management (in accordance with the requirements of European Parliament and Council Directive 94/62/EC of 20 December 1994 on packaging and packaging waste, as amended by Directive 2004/12/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004, as amended by Directive 2005/20/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2005, as amended by Regulation (EC) No. 219/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2009 and Commission Directive 2013/2/EU of 7 February 2013),the objective is to achieve the rates of recovery and recycling included in Table.
| a) a total rate of recovery of at least 60 % by weight of packaging waste, |
| b) a total rate of recycling of at least 55 % and maximum 80 % by weight of packaging waste, |
| c) a rate of recovery for individual packaging materials (waste streams) of at least: |
| 1. | 60 % by weight of glass packaging wastes, |
| 2. | 68 % by weight of paper packaging wastes (including paperboard and cardboard), |
| 3 | 55 % by weight of metal packaging wastes, |
| 4 |
48 % by weight of plastic packaging wastes,
|
| 5. |
35 % by weight of wooden packaging wastes,
|
| d) a rate of recycling for individual packaging materials (waste streams) of at least: |
| 1. | 60 % by weight of glass packaging wastes, |
| 2. | 60 % by weight of paper packaging wastes (including paperboard and cardboard), |
| 3. | 55 % by weight of metal packaging wastes, |
| 4. | 45 % by weight of plastic packaging wastes, |
| 5. | 25 % by weight of wooden packaging wastes. |
The EP and Council Directive amending Directive 94/62 / EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste introduces an obligation for all Member States to reduce the consumption of lightweight plastic bags and allows them to set their own national consumption reduction targets and choose measures to achieving these objectives. The SR can adopt measures, which include one or both possibilities:
a) theadoption of measures ensuring that the annual consumption level does not exceed 90 lightweight plastic carrier bags per person by 31 December 2019 and 40 lightweight plastic carrier bags per person by 31 December 2025, or equivalent targets set in weight.Very lightweight plastic carrier bags may be excluded from national consumption objectives, or
b) the adoption of instruments ensuring that, by 31 December 2018, lightweight plastic carrier bags are not provided free of charge at the point of sale of goods or products, unless equally effective instruments are implemented. Very lightweight plastic carrier bags may be excluded from those measures.
Targets for construction and demolition waste
In accordance with Article 11(2) (b)of the Waste Framework Directive, the objective for construction and demolition wastes is as follows: by 2020, the preparing for re-use, recycling and other material recovery, including backfilling operations using waste to substitute other materials, of non-hazardous construction and demolition waste excluding naturally occurring material defined in category 17 05 04 in the list of waste shall be increased to a minimum of 70 % by weight. Fulfilment of the objectives must be evaluated pursuant to Annex III to Commission Decision 2011/753/EU establishing rules and calculation methods for verifying compliance with the targets set in Article 11(2) of Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council. To verify the fulfilment of rate of recycling of construction and demolition waste, it will be necessary to monitor exclusively the types of construction wastes in the category "other" excluding dredging spoils (17 05 04 and17 05 06).
Targets for waste tyres
| Management | 2018 | 2020 |
| Material recovery | 75 % | 80 % |
| Energy recovery | 10 % | 15 % |
| Landfilling | 1 % | 1 % |
| Other management | 14 % | 4 % |
Targets for old vehicles
Limits on the reuse, recovery and recycling of old vehicles| Activity | Limit a date for a minimum increase in the scope of activities |
| 1 January 2015 and the following years | |
| all vehicles | |
| Re-use of parts of end-of life vehicles and recovery of wastes from the treatment of end-of life vehicles | 95 % |
| Re-use of parts of end-of life vehiclesand recycling of end-of life vehicles | 85 % |
Targets for waste batteries and accumulators
The following objectives have been set for waste batteries and accumulators (in accordance with the requirements of Directive 2006/66/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 September 2006 on batteries and accumulators and wastebatteries and accumulators and repealing Directive 91/157/EEC):
- to attain the minimum limits for the collection of portable batteries and accumulators 40 % for 2015 and 45 % for 2016,
- to attain the collection of waste automotive batteries and accumulatorsin the amount of the market share of batteries placed on the market of the SR by the producer of automotive batteries and accumulators in the previous calendar year
- to attain the collection of waste industrial batteries and accumulators in the amount of the market share of batteries placed on the market of the SR by the producer of industrial batteries and accumulators in the previous calendar year
- the objective of recycling of waste batteries and accumulators is 100 % of the quantity of collected waste batteries and accumulators for the previous calendar year;
- to attain a minimum recycling efficiency:
a) 90 % by average weight of lead-acid batteries and accumulators, including recycling of the lead content to the highest degree that is technically feasible while avoiding excessive costs;
b) 75 % by average weight of nickel-cadmium batteries and accumulators, including recycling of the cadmium content to the highest degree that is technically feasible while avoiding excessive costs;
c) 60 % by average weight of otherwaste batteries and accumulators;
- for all the collected batteries and accumulators, to ensure their continuous treatment by an authorised provider of treatment services.
Targets for WEEE
Cieľové miery zhodnocovania recyklácie pre odpady z elektrických a elektronických zariadení
| Kategória elektroodpadov | Rate of recovery (% from average weight of equipment) |
Rate of recycling | |
| 1 | large household appliances | 85 % | 80 % |
| 2 | small household appliances | 75 % | 55 % |
| 3 | information technology and telecommunications equipment | 80 % | 70 % |
| 4 | consumer equipment and photovoltaic panels | 80 % | 70 % |
| 5 | consumer electronics | 75 % | 55 % |
| 6 | lighting equipment and lamps | 75 % | 55 % |
| 7 | toys, equipment for sports and recreational purposes | 75 % | 55 % |
| 8 | medical devices | 75 % | 55 % |
| 9 | monitoring and control instruments | 75 % | 55 % |
| 10 | vending machines | 85 % | 80 % |
Collection targets for waste electrical and electronic equipment
| 2016 | the weight corresponding to a share of 48 % of the average weight of electrical equipment placed on the market in the SR in three previous years, |
|
2017 |
the weight corresponding to a share of 49 % of the average weight of electrical equipment placed on the market in the SR in three previous years,
|
| 2018 | the weight corresponding to a share of 50 % of the average weight of electrical equipment placed on the market in the SR in three previous years, |
| 2019 | the weight corresponding to a share of 55 % of the average weight of electrical equipment placed on the market in the SR in three previous years, |
| 2020 | the weight corresponding to a share of 60 % of the average weight of electrical equipment placed on the market in the SR in three previous years. |
| 2021 and following years | the weight corresponding to a share of 65 % of the average weight of electrical equipment placed on the market in the SR in three previous years. |
Key question
Have the objectives specified for individual waste streams been met?Key messages
- In 2022, 9.8 kg of waste electrical and electronic equipment was collected per capita. The Slovak Republic met the collection target for e-waste in 2022 and also met the limits for recovery and recycling rates for each category of e-waste in 2021.
- For the re-use of parts of old vehicles and recycling of old vehicles, the SR achieved a share of 95.91%, thus meeting the required limit. The rate of reuse and recovery of old vehicles reached 97.07% in 2022.
- In 2022, 1088.19 tonnes of used portable batteries and accumulators were collected, representing a collection rate of 48.5%. The target of 45% collection rate of portable batteries and accumulators has thus been met in 2022.
| Change since 2005 | Change since 2015 | Last year-on-year change | Progress in achieving of concrete defined objective |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|
 |
|
| In the long term, there is a positive trend in the development of individual indicators for selected waste streams. | Since 2015, there has been a positive trend in the development of individual indicators for selected waste streams. | Year-on-year improvement was recorded for some waste streams (e-waste), while no significant improvement or deterioration was recorded for other waste streams. | Different targets are set for different waste streams. Some of the targets are being met on an ongoing basis ( for example old vehicles, waste tyres), some are well on their way. |
Summary assessment
Detailed assessment
WEEE
Producers of electrical equipment are obliged to meet the limits for collection, recovery, recycling and re-use of electrical waste. From the perspective of meeting the targets set out in Directive 2012/19/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), since 2016 the MoE SR has been monitoring and evaluating the fulfilment of the collection target as a minimum weight share of collection from the average weight of electrical equipment placed on the market in the Slovak Republic in the preceding three years.
In 2022, 53 288 tonnes of WEEE were collected from households, representing 9.8 kg/capita. The targets for the recovery and recycling of e-waste were met for all categories of e-waste.
Fulfilling the recovery rate and recycling efficiency of WEEE (2022)
| Category | Recovery (t) | Recovery rate (%) | Target (%) | Recycling and preparation for re-use (t) | Of which preparation for re-use (t) | Recycling rate (%) | Target (%) |
| 1 Temperature exchange equipment | 7 358 | 91,5 | 85 | 7 358 | 0 | 91,5 | 80 |
| 2 Screens, monitors, and equipment containing screens having a surface greater than 100 cm2 | 4 471 | 92,78 | 80 | 4 426 | 0 | 91,83 | 70 |
| 3 Lamps | 385 | 94,34 | - | 384 | 0 | 94,09 | 80 |
| 3a Lamps containing mercury | 277 | 95,24 | - | 277 | 0 | 95,24 | 80 |
| 4 Large equipment | 23 754 | 93,15 | 85 | 23 691 | 0 | 92,9 | 80 |
| 4c Photovoltaic panels | 62 | 89,14 | 85 | 62 | 0 | 89,14 | 80 |
| 5 Small equipment | 11 417 | 92,43 | 75 | 11 384 | 0 | 92,16 | 55 |
| 6 Small IT and telecommunication equipment | 4054 | 93,1 | 75 | 4 021 | 1 | 92,34 | 55 |
Source: MoE SR
Waste batteries and accumulators
In 2022, 1 088.19 tonnes of used portable batteries and accumulators were collected, representing a collection rate of 48.5%.
Recycling efficiency for used batteries and accumulators
| Type | 2011 (%) |
2012 (%) |
2013 (%) |
2014 (%) |
2015 (%) |
2016 (%) |
2017 (%) |
2018 (%) |
2019 |
2020 (%) |
2021 (%) |
2022 (%) |
Target (%) |
| Lead | 96 | 97 | 93 | 87 | 92 | 90,5 | 90,51 | 91,4 | 91,2 | 91,3 | 90,8 | 91,17 | 90 |
| Ni-Cd | 84 | 97 | 83 | 76 | 80 | 80,9 | 78,98 | 77,18 | 77,58 | 75,65 | 75,35 | 75,5 | 75 |
| Other | 98 | 97 | 89 | 64 | 61 | 65,3 | 67,38 | 66 | 68,3 | 66,8 | 60,9 | 60,86 | 60 |
Source: MoE SR
Old vehicles
Currently, there are 51 authorised old vehicle processing plants in the Slovak Republic operating within the complex collection and processing of old vehicles, which are authorised by the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic to process old vehicles pursuant to § 8 section 1 letter a) point 3 of Act No. 79/2015 Coll. on Waste.
The registration and monitoring of quantity of processed used vehicles began in 2004. Each year, the number of vehicles processed increased, the largest increase occurred in 2009. This was due to the fact that Slovakia introduced a so-called "Scrappage scheme" which was reflected in a high increase in the number of old vehicles handed over. The "scrappage scheme" took place in two phases. In the first phase, which lasted from March 9, 2009 to March 25, 2009, authorized recyclers received 22 100 pieces of old vehicles for processing. In the second phase, from April 6 to April 14, 2009, a total amount of 20 100 pieces of old vehicles was handed over. During a scrappage scheme program, a total of 42 200 pieces of old vehicles were handed over.
Authorized processing facilities are within its operation required to ensure compliance with established deadlines and time limits, laid down for reuse of old vehicle parts and recovery of waste from the processing of old vehicles, including the recycling of old vehicles, which are listed in the Slovak Republic Government Regulation no. 153/2004 Coll. , laying down mandatory limits and terms for the scope of old vehicles´ parts reuse, the recovery of waste from the processing and recycling of old vehicles. Based on the data listed in the table below, we can conclude that the share of reuse, recycling and recovery is sufficient.
Total reuse of old vehicle parts, recovery of waste from the treatment of old vehicles and recycling, number of old vehicles treated and total weight of old vehicles treated (2022)
| Reuse (t) | Total recycling (t) | Total recovery (t) | Total reuse and recycling | Limit for reuse of parts of old vehicles and recycling of old vehicles* | Total reuse and recovery | Limit for re-use of parts of old vehicles and recovery of waste from the treatment of old vehicles* |
| 734,07 | 34 595,41 | 35 022,64 |
95,91 % (35 329,47 t) |
85 % |
97,07 % (35 756,70 t) |
95 % |
| Number of pieces of old vehicles processed (pcs) | 34 472 | |||||
| Total weight of old vehicles processed (t) | 36 836,56 | |||||
Source: MoE SR
* Limits on activities to average weight per vehicle are valid for all vehicles from 2015 onwards
Worn tyres
The management of waste tyres has long been dominated by material recovery. In 2022, the level of material recovery was 90.73%, with energy recovery of 5.8%. Landfilling of waste tyres is prohibited under the Waste Act. (Note: except for tyres used as construction material in landfill construction, bicycle tyres and tyres with an outer diameter larger than 1400 mm). The target for waste tyres set out in the Waste Management Programme of the Slovak Republic for 2021 — 2025 is to achieve a recycling rate of waste tyres of at least 75% and an energy recovery rate of waste tyres of no more than 24% of the total weight of tyres placed on the market by 31.12.2025. The possibility to otherwise dispose of waste tyres is set at a maximum of 1 %.
Construction and demolition waste
Given the problems in recording construction and demolition waste, it is difficult to determine exactly what the actual recycling and recovery rates are at present. This problem is due, among other things, to the fact that there is a large amount of waste that is recorded under 'temporary codes'. According to one methodology (calculated according to Annex III of Commission Decision 2011/753/EC as the ratio of recovered construction and demolition waste to total construction and demolition waste generated, excluding hazardous waste and codes 17 05 04 and 17 05 06), the recovery rate of construction and demolition waste in Slovakia in 2021 was up to 86 %.
The objective set out in the Waste Management Programme of the Slovak Republic for 2021-2025 in the field of construction and demolition waste is to increase the preparation for re-use and recycling of construction waste, including backfilling, to 70%.
International comparison
In a Europe-wide comparison, the Slovak Republic is one of the countries with a lower e-waste collection rate (in kg/capita) than the EU average.
In a Europe-wide comparison, the Slovak Republic is among the countries with a higher collection rate of portable batteries and accumulators than the EU average.