4 November 2026
Eurostat 2024 Figures Show EU Glass Packaging Recycling Rate Reaches 75.1%
The latest Eurostat data shows that the EU average glass packaging recycling rate reached 75.1% in 2024, slightly increasing from 74.9% in 2023.
The new figures provide an encouraging signal for glass circularity in Europe. More than half of EU Member States have outperformed their 2025 glass recycling target, while positive developments in several countries show that progress continues across Europe. At the same time, differences in recycling performance remain, underlining the importance of continuing to strengthen glass collection and recycling systems.
Positive progress across Europe
The 2024 figures show that many EU countries are already recycling more than 75% of the glass packaging placed on their markets, reaching or exceeding the EU’s 2030 recycling target.
Several countries continue to demonstrate particularly strong recycling performance. Belgium reports a recycling rate of 98%, followed by Slovenia at 97% and Luxembourg at 90%.
Looking at the evolution between 2023 and 2024 also reveals encouraging progress. Italy increased the total amount of glass recycled by 3%, making an additional 57,000 tonnes of glass available for closed-loop recycling.
There are positive signs among countries still working towards the 2025 target, too. Portugal’s recycling rate increased by 5.5 percentage points between 2023 and 2024, while Croatia increased the total amount of glass recycled by 12.2%.
At the same time, performance remains varied across Europe. Continued progress will depend on strengthening collection and recycling systems and ensuring that improvements can be sustained across all Member States.
The EU average: The glass packaging recycling rate increased from 74.9% in 2023 to 75.1% in 2024.
What changed between 2023 and 2024?
Looking beyond the recycling rate itself provides important context for understanding the latest results.
The amount of glass packaging placed on the EU market decreased from 14.96 million tonnes in 2023 to 14.72 million tonnes in 2024, a reduction of around 1.6%.
The amount of glass packaging recycled also declined slightly, from 11.20 million tonnes to 11.06 million tonnes, representing a decrease of around 1.3%.
Despite these lower volumes, the EU glass packaging recycling rate increased by 0.2 percentage points, from 74.9% to 75.1%.
Glass placed on the market:
14.96 million tonnes in 2023 and 14.72 million tonnes in 2024.
Glass recycled:
11.20 million tonnes in 2023 and 11.06 million tonnes in 2024.
Glass recycling rate:
74.9% in 2023 and 75.1% in 2024.
When looking at total tonnages, the increase in the recycling rate is largely linked to the decrease in the amount of glass packaging placed on the market. This provides an important perspective on the challenge ahead: how can we continue to strengthen collection and recycling while total volumes are declining?
The progress seen in individual countries nevertheless demonstrates that improvements are possible and that effective collection and recycling systems can continue to make a difference.
Working together to close the glass loop
Progress across Europe shows what can be achieved through effective collection, recycling and cooperation throughout the glass packaging value chain.
The challenge now is to build on that progress, strengthen collection and recycling at national level and keep more glass circulating in a closed loop.
Source: Eurostat data reported by 21 October 2026. The EU average will be adjusted as missing data from countries that have not yet reported becomes available and as provisional estimates already reported by some countries are replaced with final figures.