Transcript Next steps for EU waste and resource policies Rosalinde

Next steps for EU waste and
resource policies
Rosalinde van der Vlies
European Commission – DG environment
ONLY ONE EARTH
World Footprint = 1.3 earths
Next Steps for EU Waste and Resources Policies
GDP
The Resources Strategy
• decoupling growth from
impact
resource demand
Negative impact
25 years
• from protection to
improvement
• from effectiveness to
efficiency
Next Steps for EU Waste and Resources Policies
The Waste Strategy
Prevention
Re-use
Recycling
Recovery
Disposal
• towards a recycling society
• strong recycling markets
• simplified regulation
• better implementation
Next Steps for EU Waste and Resources Policies
Natural
Resources
Disposal
Waste &
Recycling
Natural
Resources
Reuse,
Recycling,
Recovery
Design
SCP: Better
Products
Manufacturing
Collection
Distribution
Use
SCP: Smarter
Consumption
ETAP: Eco-innovation
SCP:
Leaner
Production
Current waste management in the EU
 Implementation and enforcement of EU waste law remain
poor:

Missing infrastructure

Waste not collected separately

More than 1 on 4 shipments of waste illegal

Thousands illegal landfills

ELV and packaging waste targets not met

Still high risk of damage to health and safety

Frequent infringement cases (in the beginning of 2009, 127 open
infringement cases in waste area)
Next Steps for EU Waste and Resources Policies
 Strategic

EU 2020 Strategy

Thematic Strategy on Waste

Raw Materials Initiative

Review of the SCP Action Plan
 Priority for implementation and
enforcement

Waste Framework Directive

Inspection requirements
Next Steps for EU Waste and Resources Policies
 New Waste Framework Directive

Environmental impact objective

New focus on prevention

Legally binding hierarchy

Stronger recycling
Promoting recycling through targets
 WFD targets to be achieved by 2020

preparation for re-use, recycling of municipal waste, at least
paper, metal, plastic, glass from households, to a minimum of
overall 50%

preparation for re-use, recycling and backfilling of 70%
construction & demolition waste
 Commission is preparing a decision on the calculation of the
targets
 Review of the targets in 2014
 Challenge for European Member States?
Recycling, incineration and landfilling of
municipal solid wastes in Europe
50%
38%
Source: EEA, 2007.
Member States options
to calculate the 50% target
minimum of
overall
minimum of
overall
minimum of
overall
minimum of
overall
50%
50%
50%
50%
paper,
glass,
metal,
plastic
paper,
glass,
metal,
plastic
+
other
household
or similar
waste
streams
all household waste
All waste from
households +
all similar waste
streams =
all municipal waste
Separate collection requirements
 separate collection at least of paper, metal, plastic, glass by
2015
 separate collection of bio-waste (composting and digestion)
 separate collection of waste oils
 ban on mixing of hazardous waste
Supporting recycling markets
by setting end-of-waste criteria
 End-of-waste criteria should
 support recycling markets and
 improve the implementation of waste management law
 Commission is currently working on
 iron and steel scrap
 aluminium scrap
 copper scrap
 paper
 glass
 Member States and stakeholders in JRC working groups
Co-financing by the EU
 LIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance

supports technological projects that offer significant
environmental benefits, for example process or efficiency
improvements.

helps projects that improve the implementation of EU
environmental legislation.

Projects can be co-financed up to a level of 50 %.
 The LIFE+ selection procedure is currently ongoing. .
 More information:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/lifeplus.htm
December Council Conclusions on Sustainable
Materials Management
 Towards a coherent mix of measures to make European
materials more sustainable

Market based instruments

Schemes to reward recycling and waste reduction

Recycling certificates

Requirements on recycled content for certain products

End of waste criteria

Extended producer responsibility

Increasing consumer awareness
On the horizon …
 2010: Report on the Thematic Strategy on Waste Prevention
and Recycling
 2011: Report on waste generation and prevention
 2011: Communications on Resource-Efficiency
 2012: Action Plan on the Thematic Strategy on Waste
Prevention and Recycling
 2012: Review of the Action Plan on Sustainable
Consumption and Production
 2014: Review of the targets of the Waste Framework
Directive
The EU is taking action

Towards an energy and resource efficient
economy

Towards better products, leaner production
and smarter consumption

Global vision and life-cycle thinking
European Commission
[email protected]
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/