The European Environment Agency (EEA) published a report in which states the benefits of recycling for the economy, among which providing raw materials, creating jobs and encouraging business opportunities and innovation. The Agency also states that revenues from recycling are substantial and growing fast.

The report entitled 'Earnings, jobs and innovation: the role of recycling in a green economy' recently published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) shows that recycling has multiple benefits for many areas of the economy. The report also considers the recycling industry in the context of building a 'green economy', a major European policy objective. Another report published by the Commission in January 2011 stressed that even Europeans are improving at recycling, there is still much to do to reduce and reuse waste.

According to the EEA, revenues from recycling are substantial and growing fast. From 2004 to 2008 the turnover of seven main categories of recyclables almost doubled to more than €60 billion in the EU. Due to a reduced demand for raw materials and a decline in commodity prices during the economic downturn the turnover of recycling declined sharply at the end of 2008 and in the first half of 2009 but seems to have recovered somewhat since then. In addition, overall employment related to the recycling of materials in European countries increased by 45% between 2000 and 2007.

On the other hand, the report also highlights that even maximum recycling cannot cover all EU demand for resources. Increased recycling can improve 'resource security', but economic growth driven by ever increasing material consumption cannot be sustained, as it requires an infinite volume of resources. The Agency added that the economic, social and environmental benefits of recycling highlight the need to shift to a green economy in order to generate prosperity while maintaining a healthy environment and social equity for current and future generations.