site.btaBulgaria Used Less Than 5% Recycled Materials in 2023, EU Average Was 11.8%

Bulgaria is among the EU countries with the lowest share of material use within the circular economy. According to data published by Eurostat on Friday, the country reported less than 5% usage of recycled materials in 2023, compared to an EU average of 11.8%.

The so-called circularity rate measures the share of materials recovered and returned to the economy relative to total material consumption. It is a key indicator for tracking progress on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

Between 2008 and 2023, the EU's circularity rate increased from 9.1% to 11.8%. However, in recent years, the indicator has remained relatively stable. The EU has set a target to double the use of materials from waste by 2030 compared to 2020 levels, aiming to reach 22.4%.

Among individual EU member states, the highest share of recycled material use was reported in the Netherlands – 30.6%, followed by Italy (20.8%) and Malta (19.8%). The lowest levels were registered in Romania (1.3%), Ireland (2.3%), and Finland (2.4%).