Cyprus recorded the fourth highest level of municipal waste generated per person in the European Union in 2024, according to figures released by the Statistical Service on Thursday.

Each resident generated an average of 664kg of municipal waste, well above the EU average of 517kg. Only Denmark, Belgium and Luxembourg recorded higher levels of waste per capita.

Municipal waste in Cyprus increased by 5.6 per cent last year, rising from 633,000 tonnes in 2023 to 669,000 tonnes in 2024.

Of the 566,000 tonnes of waste that received final treatment, 78.5 per cent was disposed of at waste management centres and landfills, 14.2 per cent was recycled, 4.4 per cent was composted and 2.9 per cent was used for energy recovery.