Morocco Emerges as Major Recycling Hub for European Waste and Raw Materials

With imports exceeding 164,000 tons, the French market for recyclable raw materials and waste is Morocco’s preferred European destination, reports Hespress, based on data from Eurostat, the European statistical office. It is followed by the Polish market (163,000 tons), then the Spanish market (125,500 tons). According to the office, Morocco imported 821,500 tons of recyclable raw materials in 2024, including waste, scrap metal, and secondary raw materials.

While the European statistical office specifies that "exports of organic materials, defined by the office as waste and food waste, from EU countries to Morocco amounted to 200,600 tons in 2024," the Moroccan media states that "Morocco exported only 160,000 tons of these materials to EU countries in the same year." The same source continues: "Overall, European exports of recyclable raw materials to Morocco decreased in 2024 compared to 2023, where they had reached about 890,000 tons. Waste exports also slightly decreased, exceeding 240,000 tons in 2023."

According to the same data, European exports of these materials to Morocco increased from 300,000 tons in 2020 to 821,500 tons in 2024, while European exports of recyclable metals are enormous. Morocco indeed imported 517,000 tons last year.