Trends of Industrial Waste Generation in Manufacturing Enterprises in the Context of Waste Prevention—Shift-Share Analysis for European Union Countries

The problem of waste in the European Union is still present—from 2010 to 2022, the amount of hazardous waste generated increased by an average of 2.25% per year, while non-hazardous waste decreased by an average of 0.06% per year. The increase in the amount of hazardous waste and the very slight decrease in non-hazardous waste over the 13-year period testify to the ever-present problem of waste generation. To effectively address this issue, it is necessary to understand the trends that characterize the amount of waste generated. This study focuses on the amount of waste generated in manufacturing companies. Panel data from 27 European Union countries from 2010–2022 were analyzed to examine what factors contribute to the generation of hazardous and non-hazardous waste. For this purpose, a shift-share analysis was used. The research showed that, in comparison to 2010, the total amount of EU waste generated by manufacturing companies in 2022 was 3,632,096 tons lower for hazardous waste and 15,149,754 tons lower for non-hazardous waste. A shift-share analysis of hazardous waste suggests that companies in the manufacturing sectors should show an upward trend in the amount of waste generated in all the European Union countries. In fact, however, there has been a decline in the amount of this waste overall across the EU (though only in 15 countries), driven by both structural (industrial mix) and geographic (regional shift) factors. The dominance of the geographic component was particularly pronounced in countries with a decrease in hazardous waste (negative total effect). The situation was different for non-hazardous waste. Negative values of the national shift component for all the countries suggest a decline in non-hazardous waste at companies in the manufacturing sector. In reality, the decline occurred in only 16 countries, and in most, due to the regional shift component. The analysis shows that policies on hazardous and non-hazardous waste management in European Union countries vary. Positive changes in hazardous waste have taken place in 12 EU countries that differ in terms of levels of economic and social development, suggesting the need for further analysis of the reasons for these trends. In the case of non-hazardous waste, the largest number of countries have made positive changes related to their competitive potential, indicating that the decline in non-hazardous waste is mainly due to their macroeconomic situation. Thus, there is considerable regional heterogeneity in the spatial distribution of the waste change component. The research provides valuable insights for companies and institutions responsible for shaping waste management policies, helping them to recognize the regional advantages and disadvantages of waste reduction and strengthen regional cooperation in this regard.