Skopje, 30 December 2025 (MIA) - The total amount of collected municipal waste in the Republic of North Macedonia in 2024 was 637,471 tonnes, which shows an increase compared to previous years. On the other hand, the total amount of generated municipal waste in the country in 2024 was 790,866 tonnes, which shows a decrease compared to previous years. Most of the collected municipal waste is disposed of in landfills.   

According to the State Statistical Office, the annual amount of generated municipal waste per person in 2024 was 438 kg per person, which is 12.9% less than in 2023 when it stood at 503 kg per person. 

Municipal waste is waste collected and treated by or for municipalities. It covers waste from households including bulky waste, similar waste from commerce and trade, office buildings, businesses, as well as yard and garden waste, street sweepings, the contents of litter containers, and market cleansing waste if managed as household waste. The definition excludes waste from municipal sewage networks and treatment, as well as waste from construction and demolition activities.

Data from reports submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning show that 65 percent of the total amount of packaging waste placed on the internal market was recycled, i.e. out of 80,575 tons of packaging waste placed on the market, 52,605 tons were recycled.

By category, in 2024, only paper and cardboard packaging waste placed on the market was fully recycled (105%), followed by metal waste (80%), glass (54.6%), plastic (38.9%) and wood (38.8%). In absolute numbers, the most recycled waste was paper and cardboard waste (29,614 tons), followed by plastic (8,979 tons), glass (7,570 tons), wood (3,416 tons) and metal (3,026 tons).

Environmental protection expenditures in 2024 amounted to Mden 10,503,523,000, i.e. EUR 169.4 million, whereas a total of Mden 12 198.7 million, i.e. EUR 196.7 million, of environmental taxes were paid in 2023.

Photo: MIA