In the past, Germany sent most of its waste to landfill sites. The geology of the country made this option cheap and easy. Like most HICs, new laws and a reduction in suitable sites have lead to a ‘revolution’ in the way waste is disposed of. Today Germany is a world leader in recycling. 60% of Germany’s waste is recycled. Most of Germany’s non-recyclable waste is disposed of through incineration. In 2009 there were 68 incinerators in Germany with an annual capacity of 68 million tonnes. The government plans to build an additional 100 incinerators in the next decade. In recent years Germany’s incineration plants have been paid to burn waste exported from neighboring countries, including Belgium and Italy. Incinerators are now a major source of energy. Germany disposes of its harmful waste in a number of ways. Nuclear waste is either stored in deep shafts mined into stable rock or exported to Britain, Russia or France to be cleaned in specialist centres, such as Sellafield. Other harmful and polluting materials, such as e-waste, are sent to mainly developing countries including China and India for recycling. Safety and environment laws in Germany would make the processing of this toxic material too expensive locally.