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Data used to compile the World’s Recycling Statistics needed adjusting for this year’s Waste Technology Top Recycling Countries 2018 List of the countries with the highest recycling rates. The adjustments were made for comparability and to focus recycling credit on the nations where household waste is recycled the most.
The listed countries below, are the top performers in sorting and processing their rubbish, so that it can be used again. The recycling concept means that less raw material is needed, carbon emissions are reduced, and the environment is protected by not needing to be dug-up for quarries. Air pollution is lower because fewer vehicle miles are needed.
The top countries employ advanced waste technologies to do this, including incineration, composting, sorting in MRFs and MBT Plants, and less well-known waste treatment techniques such as anaerobic digestion with biogas production, and gasification are also used.
For the list of “countries with the highest recycling rates in the world” IPPTS Associates has used a Eunomia report (titled “Recycling – who really leads the world?”) which evaluated multiple criteria in order to narrow the field to the best 10.
This is for all those interested in their environment, and sustaining a clean world for the next generation. The full top 5 list of the best recycling nations, along with the selection criteria and links to the original report, can be found on the company website http://waste-technology.co.uk.
Among the highest ranked are:
#1 Germany – Germany has the highest rate of household waste (Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) recycling and has been the consistent top scoring nations for a number of years, as reported by Eunomia using the latest data available.
#2 Austria – Austria has the second highest global MSW recycling rate, when the figures are adjusted to allow for the inclusion differing types of recyclable materials in the data provided by each nation.
#3 South Korea – South Korea is ranked third in the top nations for achieving a high rate of recycling, using the best waste technologies. It can be thought of as the third best recycling nation for its concern for the environment, expressed by willingness to recycle. The dedication which nations put to recycling as part of their waste strategy, is reflected in the wish of the people not to use more natural resources than really necessary. The citizens wish not to have to dump or incinerate more of their domestic waste (garbage) than absolutely they have to.
The top 5 recycling countries list is also included in the video at http://waste-technology.co.uk/list-of-recycling-countries-2018
Recycling is just a part of waste management systems which use recycling techniques, It is done in conjunction with minimising waste production, and the re-use of “old things” to avoid making garbage go to landfill sites, as far as possible. This is called the “waste hierarchy”.
Surprisingly, Sweden did not make it into the top 10. The US, once a world leader in so many things, now tails badly behind, and was also absent from the top 20.
When discussing the reasons for featuring the leaders list from “Recycling – who really leads the world?” remember that it is also known as the “Top Recycling Countries 2018 List”.
While identifying the world’s best municipal waste recyclers, Steve Last, Principal of IPPTS Associates said,
“My reaction was one of delight to see that Eunomia has produced a report with the European Environmental Bureau, which seeks to make sense of government data from the top recycling countries. It adjusts the results to provide consistency so that the best recycling nations can be truly identified. That way their citizens receive the recognition they deserve for taking extra effort every-day, to carefully sort their different waste types and place them in the right recycling bins. This can only be good for them, and also deserves applause, as a wonderful example to the rest of the world.”
All those interested in their environment, and sustaining a clean world for the next generation. And, those looking for the most up-to-date rankings for countries with the Highest Recycling Rates in the World, can view the list at http://waste-technology.co.uk. Anyone who would like their country to be considered for the next list may contact IPPTS Associates via their website, http://ipptsassociates.co.uk.
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