Americans generate more than twice as much garbage per capita as Europeans and recycle far less.
The United States produces 1,584 pounds of trash per person annually, according to the EU statistics agency. Japan produces 902 pounds and the European Union 660 pounds."Recycling is increasing throughout the EU," the agency said Tuesday, adding that the EU as a whole, population 340 million, recycles 40 percent of glass, cardboard and paper garbage.
Eurostat put the U.S. recycling rate for paper and cardboard at 30 percent and for glass at 20 percent.
It said its figures "refer to the latest count, not necessarily in the same year in each country" and must be regarded "as broad, rather than exact comparisons."
The agency gave this breakdown of annual per capita garbage output in pounds:
Netherlands, 1,100; Denmark, 1,056; Luxembourg, 990; Germany 770; Italy 770; Britain 770; Belgium, 748; France, 726; Spain, 704; Ireland, 682; Greece, 660; and Portugal, 572.
Eurostat gave these figures for non-EU members:
Finland, 1,364; Norway, 1,034; Switzerland, 968; Sweden, 814; Austria, 726; Iceland, 682; United States, 1,584; Japan, 902; Hungary, 1,012; Slovak Republic, 792; Poland, 748; and the Czech Republic, 550.