Luxembourg exports around 40 tons of plastic waste annually for recycling, mainly to Italy and neighboring countries, as part of a broader EU policy prohibiting plastic waste exports to non-OECD nations.

Luxembourg recycles and collects waste, but also exports a portion of what is gathered. This includes plastic waste collected in recycling centers and through the blue bag system.

An average of 40 tons of plastic waste is exported annually from Luxembourg to other countries for recycling. Among these countries are Luxembourg's three neighboring nations, as well as Italy and the Netherlands, with Italy receiving the largest portion – 17 tons.

This practice aligns with a recent EU decision prohibiting the export of plastic waste to non-OECD countries due to concerns it may be buried or incinerated without being recycled. However, it remains unclear if recycling companies in these OECD countries might re-export the waste to non-OECD nations.

This information was provided by Environment Minister Serge Wilmes in response to a parliamentary question from LSAP members Claire Delcourt and Mars Di Bartolomeo. Over the course of a year, around 14,000 tons of plastic packaging waste are collected through the Valorlux system, averaging 21 kilograms per resident. When considering all types of packaging waste, nearly 100 kilograms are generated per resident annually.