Packaging waste
Last update of indicator21.12.2023
Indicator definition
The indicator tracks the status and development of the overall generation and management of packaging waste and monitors progress towards the targets set. The indicator focuses on the total generation of packaging waste and on the recycling rate of packaging waste broken down into different types of packaging (glass, plastic, paper, metal, wood, other).
Related policy documents and targets
Waste Prevention Programme 2019 — 2025 (2019)
Reduce the use of non-recyclable single-use plastic packaging.
Avoid excessive packaging within a single product.
Promote the recyclability of plastic products and packaging (following the EU’s plastics strategy).
Waste Management Programme of the Slovak Republic for 2021 — 2025 (2021)
By 31 December 2025, achieve a recycling rate of packaging waste of at least 65% of the total weight of packaging placed on the market.
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, as amended by Commission Directive 2013/2/EU of 7 February 2013, as amended by Directive 2015/720 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2015 and as amended by Directive 2018/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018.
- By 31 December 2025 at the latest, at least 65 % by weight of all packaging waste shall be recycled
- By 31 December 2030 at the latest, at least 70 % by weight of all packaging waste shall be recycled
According to Annex 3 to Act No 79/2015 Coll., the waste management objective in the area of packaging waste management is to achieve:
Target recovery and recycling rates
| 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 wood packaging waste |
| e) by 31 December 2025, a recycling rate of at least 65 % of the total weight of packaging waste | |
| f) do 31. decembra 2030 mieru recyklácie najmenej vo výške 70 % z celkovej hmotnosti odpadov z obalov | |
| g) by 31 December 2030, a recycling rate of at least 70 % of the total weight of packaging waste | |
| 1. | 70 % glass |
| 2. | 75 % paper and cardboard |
| 3. | 70 % ferrous metals |
| 4. | 50 % aluminium |
| 5. | 50 % plastic |
| 6. | 25 % wood |
| h) by 31 December 2030, a recycling rate for individual packaging materials (waste streams) of at least | |
| 1. | 75 % glass |
| 2. | 85 % paper and cardboard |
| 3. | 80 % ferrous metals |
| 4. | 60 % aluminium |
| 5. | 55 % plastic |
| 6. | 30 % wood |
| i) in the case of EPR for packaging, a recycling rate for plastic packaging waste of at least | |
| year 2022: 40 % | |
| year 2024: 34 % | |
| year 2025: 35 % | |
| year 2027: 36 % | |
| year 2030: 42 % | |
| j) in the case of EPR for packaging, a recycling rate for metal packaging of at least | |
| year 2022 to 2024: 51% | |
| k) in the case of EPR for packaging, a recycling rate for aluminium packaging of at least | |
| year 2025: 11 % | |
| year 2030: 31 % | |
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.
Key question
Is recycling rate of packaging waste increasing?Key messages
- Packaging waste generation has increased by less than 1.5% year-on-year (2020-2021), recycling rates have increased (except for wooden packaging) and the objective is being met. The amount of packaging waste material recovered has increased from 45.21% in 2005 to 73.86% in 2021. For specific packaging waste materials, the minimum recycling targets set for 2025 are already being met in the present.
- The objective by 31 December 2025 set out in the Waste Management Programme of the Slovak Republic for 2021-2025 is to achieve a recycling rate of packaging waste of at least 65% of the total weight of packaging placed on the market.
| Change since 2005 | Change since 2015 | Last year-on-year change | Progress in achieving of concrete defined objective |
|---|---|---|---|
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|
 |
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| There has been a significant increase in packaging waste. However, there has also been a significant increase in the recycling rate of packaging waste. | There was an increase of over 16% in the production of packaging waste and an increase of almost 10 percentage points in the recycling of packaging waste. | Packaging waste generation increased by less than 1.5% year-on-year. Packaging waste recycling increased by more than 3 percentage points. | For specific packaging waste materials, the minimum recycling targets set for 2025 are already being met at present. |
Summary assessment
Detailed assessment
Trend in the generation of packaging waste (tonnes)
| 2010 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Generation of packaging waste | 436 341,36 | 493 236,93 | 517 791,87 | 517 519,58 | 556 645,83 | 571 405,69 | 565 939,16 | 574 147,51 |
Source: MoE SR
Trend in the recycling rate of packaging waste (%)
| 2010 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Recycling rate of packaging waste | 45,7 | 64,3 | 65,8 | 65,7 | 66,6 | 67,5 | 70,8 | 73,86 |
Source: MoE SR, Eurostat
The total amount of packaging waste is increasing. The recycling rate has increased from 45.21% in 2005 to 73.86% in 2021, meeting the target of recycling at least 65% by weight of all packaging waste by 2025. For specific materials, the minimum recycling targets set for 2025 are already being met at present.
Generation and management of packaging waste (2021)
| Material | Amount | Recycling | Minimum recycling target by 2025 | Total recycling, energy and other recovery |
| (t) | (%) | (%) | (%) | |
| Glass | 98 102,63 | 81,73 | 70 | 81,73 |
| Plastics | 128 310,99 | 60,23 | 50 | 84,70 |
| Paper | 246 334,57 | 82,33 | 75 | 82,69 |
| Metals | 33 716,22 | 76,47 | 70 - ferrous metals, 50 - aluminium | 76,47 |
| Wood | 66 348,92 | 57,21 | 25 | 59,09 |
| Other | 1 334,17 | 3,77 | - | 3,77 |
| Total | 574 147,51 | 73,86 | 79,70 |
Source: MoE SR
International comparison
In a EU-wide comparison, the Slovak Republic ranks among the countries with a higher recycling rate of packaging waste than the EU average.