EU waste and resource policies

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EU waste and resource policies

• Andreas Versmann
• European Commission DG Environment

Zero waste February 2009
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The General ProblemLack of Sustainability
Threats to ecosystem services
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• ONLY ONE EARTH

World Footprint 1.3 earths EU 2.5 US 5
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The EU Resources Strategy
decoupling growth from environmental impact
GDP
resource demand
Negative impact
25 years
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The Approach Life-Cycle Thinking
Natural Resources
SCP Better Products
Disposal
SCP Leaner Production
Waste Recycling
SCP Smarter Consumption
http//lca.jrc.ec.europa.eu LCA-waste_at_jrc.it
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The Waste Hierarchy

• Waste Framework Directive
• Order of priorities
• Best environmental outcome
• Life-cycle thinking
• Moving waste management up the hierarchy

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Ensuring protection of health/environment from
waste disposal

• Directives on Landfills and Incinerators
• Technical standards for landfills and
  incinerators
• Waste acceptance control
• Diversion of biodegradable waste from landfills
• Waste Framework Directive
• Waste management plans of Member States to ensure
  a sufficient network of waste disposal
  installations

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Recovery and recycling of waste

• Moving towards a recycling society
• Recycling - Directives on
• WEEE
• End-of-life vehicles
• Packaging
• Waste Framework Directive
• Recycling of 50 paper, metal, plastic, glass
  from household option for more fractions
• Recycling (and backfilling) of 70 construction
  demolition waste
• Review 2014
• Separate collection to improve recovery and
  promote high quality recycling
• Bio-waste impact assessment in 2009
• Promoting waste-to-energy

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Recycling, incineration and landfilling of
municipal solid wastes in Europe
Source EEA, 2007.
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New dimension of waste prevention policy

• Waste Framework Directive new requirements
  concerning prevention
• MS to establish waste prevention programmes
• Programmes to set out prevention objectives,
  describe prevention measures, determine
  qualitative and quantitative benchmarks or
  targets for waste prevention
• Indicators to be developed by the Commission
• Commission to create a system for sharing
  information on best practice regarding waste
  prevention and develop guidelines for Member
  States
• 2014 Commission to propose waste prevention and
  decoupling objectives by 2020, if appropriate

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Next Steps for EU Waste and Resources Policies

• SCP Action Plan Product Focus
• Eco-design Directive
• Energy Labelling Directive
• Eco-label
• Dynamic framework for continuous improvement
  widening of product scope

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Next Steps for EU Waste and Resources Policies

• SCP Action Plan Consumption Focus
• Retailer Forum
• Greening the supply chain
• Code of conduct
• Green Public Procurement
• Increase GPP to 50 of public procurement

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Waste Hierarchyturning environmental impacts
into opportunities for a green economy !
Prevention
Reuse
Recycle
Recovery
Disposal
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The EU is taking action

• Towards a recycling society
• Towards an energy and resource efficient economy
• Towards better products, leaner production and
  smarter consumption

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European Commission andreas.versmann_at_ec.europa.eu
http//ec.europa.eu/environment/