NSW waste and recycling performance data: 2024–25 financial year
The waste and recycling performance data provides insight on the progress of NSW on improving waste outcomes. This includes reducing waste generation and increasing recycling by diverting materials from landfill. The data is a vital source for industry, community and government to inform decision-making and policy.
The data should be used with reference to the Data Quality Statement. Note that totals may not exactly match the sum of their parts due to rounding.
Key findings
Overall recycling rate
In 2024–25, NSW recycled 67% of its waste. This is up from the 63% baseline in 2015–16 and mirrors the 5-year average of 66% recorded between 2019–20 and 2024–25.
Figure 1
Total waste generated
NSW generated 22.4 million tonnes of waste in 2024–25, a 5% increase from 2023–24 and above the 5-year average of 21.8 million tonnes. This was primarily driven by the construction and demolition stream where waste generation increased by 7%. The municipal solid waste and commercial and industrial streams remained stable. Waste generation continues to increase over the long term from 18.7 million tonnes in 2015–16 to 22.4 million tonnes in 2024–25. Figure 2 shows waste generated by stream from 2015–16 to 2024–25.
Figure 2
Recycling performance in NSW
In 2024–25, the overall recycling rate increased to 67%, a 1% increase on the previous year. The total tonnes recycled increased by 6% and the total waste disposed decreased by 2%. In parallel to these changes, the total waste generated increased by 5%.
As not all materials can be recovered, increased generation does not result in greater tonnes available for recycling, contributing to this flat recycling rate. Non-recoverable disaster waste increased significantly for 2024–25 following the NSW East Coast Severe Weather from 18 May 2025. Figure 3 compares the recycling rate for each stream to the NSW rate of 67%.
Figure 3
The recycling rate for MSW remained at 48% in 2024–25. The actual tonnes of organics recovered did increase, even as the rate remained stable.
The C&I recycling rate was 52%, up 2% on 2023–24. The C&D recycling rate remained stable at 80% with equal increases in tonnes recycled and disposed. Both C&I and C&D rates have stayed relatively steady over the past 5 years.
Figure 4 breaks down, for each stream, the total tonnes generated and how much was recycled and disposed.
Figure 4
Figure 5 shows the tonnes recycled in 2024–25, organised by waste category and stream.
Figure 5
Waste generation per capita
In 2024–25, an average of 2.61 tonnes of waste was generated per capita, up from 2.53 tonnes in 2023–24. Over the past 5 years, per capita waste has ranged between 2.52 tonnes (2021–22) and 2.68 tonnes (2022–23).
Per capita MSW remained stable at 0.55 tonnes in 2024–25, no change from the previous year. This is in line with the 10-year average of 0.56 tonnes per capita.
The C&I stream also remained the same for 2024–25 at 0.56 tonnes per capita in 2024–25.
The C&D waste per capita was 1.50 tonnes in 2024–25, up from 1.42 tonnes in 2023–24.
Figure 6 illustrates per capita waste generation, including total waste and breakdowns by stream, from 2015–16 to 2024–25.