Cyprus generated 3,206 tonnes of textile waste in 2024, compared with 12,793 tonnes in Greece, according to Eurostat data on waste across the European Union.
The island produced 4.04 million tonnes of waste overall, including 2.1 million tonnes excluding major mineral waste. Greece generated around 30 million tonnes. Across the EU, textile waste amounted to approximately 2.27 million tonnes out of nearly 2.2 billion tonnes of total waste.
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Households Generate More Than Half Of Textile Waste
Households accounted for more than half of the EU’s textile waste in 2024. Of the approximately 2.3 million tonnes generated, 1.4 million tonnes were treated, representing 63% of the total.
Italy recorded the highest volume of textile waste, at 441,736 tonnes, followed by France with 339,965 tonnes and Germany with 212,107 tonnes.
Italy also treated and recycled the largest amount, at 280,680 tonnes. France treated 258,129 tonnes, while Germany treated 207,156 tonnes.
Recycling Accounts For Most Textile Waste Treatment
Recovery operations represented 91% of textile waste treatment across the EU. Recycling accounted for 78% of treated material, while incineration with energy recovery made up 13%. Landfill accounted for 8%, with incineration without energy recovery representing the remaining 1%.
Italy and France recorded the highest recycling shares, each recycling 98% of treated textile waste. Lithuania followed at 87% and Slovenia at 83%.
However, recycling rates varied considerably. Latvia reported no textile recycling, while Estonia recycled 5%. Romania recorded a rate of 23%, although its figure relates to 2022.
The data highlight significant differences in how EU countries manage textile waste. While recycling accounts for most treated material across the bloc, national results vary widely, pointing to uneven progress in waste management.
