-Europe & waste

-Saves resources

-What is it?

In the nineties, regulatory, economic and social drivers set a new challenge in waste management for local and regional authorities. Their role has to change drastically from end-of-pipe waste management to dematerialisation.

The factors of change were mainly:

• Mandatory recycling targets in the European Waste Policy
• Growing waste production
• More stringent standards for waste management and associated costs
• Increased environmental awareness and expectations from citizens

Mandatory recycling targets in the European Waste policy

In the 90s', various levels of governments defined recycling targets for several waste flows, notably packaging and organic waste. This prompted producer's involvement. Many initiatives developed, which demonstrated the achievability of high recycling performances at rather low costs.

Selective collection of dry and wet municipal waste now achieve significant results, both in Northern and Southern Europe. Some cities nearly achieve a 50% reduction of the amount of waste to be disposed of in landfills.

Source: Survey of 40 European Cities, ACRR, 2000

A growing waste production

At the end of the nineties, municipal waste represented about 14% of all solid waste yearly produced in Europe (except agricultural waste). This represents 500 kg per person. In 1960, it was closer to 200 kg.

Total waste generation in the OECD Europe increased by nearly 10 % between 1990 and 1995 and is expected to continue growing - despite a slight tendency to decouple waste generation from economic growth.

With such trends, this is what can be expected by 2010:

• 15 to 22 % rise in household waste in OECD countries,
• 40 to 60 % rise in paper and cardboard, glass and plastic waste compared to 1990 levels according to the EEA,
• 19% increase in waste volumes in Vienna if no measures were taken. 

• EEA - European Environmental Agency
• Magistrat der Stadt Wien, Avoiding Municipal Waste

More stringent standards for waste management and associated costs

After 25 years of existence, the European Union law on waste presents now a fairly consistent overall picture. It covers waste management, waste movements, waste processing operations or the management of certain specific waste flows.

The strengthening of standards for waste treatment is notably a consequence of:

• Directive 89/369/EEC on the prevention of air pollution from new municipal waste incineration plants
• Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste
• Directive 2000/76/EC on the incineration of waste

Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste introduced mandatory recycling and recovery targets for this specific waste stream.

The European Commission has been launching initiatives on the treatment of waste electrical and electronic equipment and composting since 2000. They will also bring considerable changes to waste management practices.

All these measures have significant costs implications on waste disposal. These are definitely strong encouragement to waste recycling.

More: EU waste legislation

Increased environmental awareness and expectations of citizens

The ancient model of Municipal Solid Waste management, aimed only at having citizens' waste disappeared, is over. New and higher citizens' expectations might have sparked off change: improved services, the reduction of environmental nuisances from disposal plants, and a higher environmental quality.

Communication and awareness-raising campaigns have further prompted such a change. These campaigns were genuinely aimed at increasing the quantity and quality of recyclable materials, through stronger citizens' participation in selective collection schemes. They were a starting point for new awareness-raising campaigns addressing the issue of waste upstream. These communication campaigns on waste prevention and regulatory instruments contributed to create a win-win situation: today both citizens and public authorities benefit from the success of these new policies.