Estonia has successfully undertaken a major transition in municipal solid waste management, from heavy reliance on landfilling to energy recovery through incineration. However, it is unlikely to reach its recycling targets, and managing high volumes of hazardous waste from combustion and processing of oil shale remains an important challenge. This chapter provides an overview of trends in waste generation and material consumption, related policy and institutional frameworks, and analyses Estonia’s policies for managing major waste streams and its steps in promoting a circular economy.

Oil shale mining and use are the dominant source of environmental impact in Estonia. While pollution releases from the sector have declined over the last decade, major challenges remain with respect to waste management, air and water quality, particularly in north-eastern Estonia. This chapter provides an overview of trends in the extraction and use of oil shale and other mineral resources, highlights the related environmental impacts and analyses the effectiveness of policy instruments Estonia applies to address them.