This indicator shows the percentage of recirculation of materials put into circulation in the market, that is, that they are recycled and returned to the economy, thereby reducing the generation of waste and limiting the extraction of raw materials.
It is therefore an indicator that shows the state of the circular economy in a territory.
Recycled materials accounted for 11.5% of EU materials consumption in 2022. In addition, there has been a gradual increase in material recyclability over the last decade, increasing by 7.5% between 2011 and 2022.
It should be noted that Member States with very high rates have either high levels of waste recyclates or low levels of primary material consumption. However, differences in the circularity rate between Member States depend not only on the amount of recycling in each country, but also on economic structural factors.