reliability of waste statistics is that materials destined for recovery operations are often not recorded as waste.
Data comparability
In Europe, there are striking differences in the scope, detail, accuracy and comparability of national waste statistics. Consequently, great caution should be exercised when comparing such data across European countries. National figures on the amount and type of waste produced reflect differences in definitions, classifications and methods of data collection. The generic terms 'municipal waste', 'industrial waste', and 'hazardous waste' may include different waste streams in each national context. Caution should also be used when deriving historical trends; often the definition and classification systems have changed over time. For hazardous waste, in particular, historical data are seldom consistent with more recent information.