Country profile

Costa Rica

Waste generation, collection, composition, treatment and policy statistics for Costa Rica.

Indicator year 2021L. Amer. & the CaribbeanUMIC

Municipal waste generated320kg per person · 2021 · World Bank What a Waste 3.0 · reported value

Collection coverage90.4%2021 · World Bank What a Waste 3.0 · population coverage

Municipal recycling rate4%2021 · World Bank What a Waste 3.0 · reported treatment share

Uncollected waste11.2%2021 · World Bank What a Waste 3.0 · reported treatment share

Open dumping—No published value

Sanitary landfill—No published value

Waste composition

World Bank What a Waste 3.0 · 2021 · reported material shares

Food and organics52%

Other materials14%

Paper and cardboard13%

Plastic13%

Textiles3%

Glass2%

Hazardous waste2%

Metal1%

Electrical and electronic waste1%

World Bank What a Waste 3.0 · 2021 · reported treatment and disposal shares

Landfill, unspecified79.2%

Uncollected11.2%

Recycling in treatment mix4.0%

Refuse-derived fuel3.0%

Composting2.7%

National waste lawYes

National waste planAction Plan For Integral Waste Management 2019-2025. (Plan De Acción Para La Gestión Integral De Residuos 2019-2025)

Responsible institutionMinistry of Health

Producer responsibilityYes

EPR operating statusLaw passed

Deposit-return systemNot reported