EU Organizations Face Regulations and Familiar Barriers Concerning Zero Waste.
Organizations and businesses in the EU are nearing an important deadline set by the European Union’s Waste Framework Directive to adopt a ‘waste hierarchy’ heavily focused on waste reduction, prevention and recycling. All Member States are required to conceive and implement waste prevention programs no later than 2013. The directive is part of a broader effort to transform Europe’s economy into a sustainable one by 2020.
What Does the EU’s Waste Hierarchy Mean?
Article 4 of the revised EU Waste Framework Directive (Directive 2008/98/EC) explains the ‘waste hierarchy’ as five steps for dealing with waste, ranked according to environmental impact. Prevention, which offers the best outcomes for the environment is the top priority, followed by preparing for re-use, recycling, other recovery and disposal, in descending order of environmental preference.
Prevention - preventing and reducing waste generation. This means using less material in design and manufacture. Keeping products for longer re-use. Using less hazardous materials.
Reuse and preparation for reuse - giving the products a second life before they become waste. Checking, cleaning, repairing, refurbishing whole items or spare parts.
Recycle - any recovery operation by which waste materials are reprocessed into products, materials or substances whether for the original or other purposes. It includes composting and it does not include incineration.
Recovery - Upgrades the less inefficient incinerators. Includes anaerobic digestion, incineration with energy recovery, gasification and pyrolysis which produce energy (fuels, heat and power) and materials from waste including some backfilling.
Disposal - processes to dispose of waste be it landfilling, incineration, pyrolisis, gasification and other finalist solutions. Including landfill and incineration without energy recovery.
According to the Waste Framework Directive the European Waste Hierarchy is legally binding with few exceptions. While many companies implement waste management as part of best practice operations, the fact that it is now a legal obligation sends a strong message that organizations need to step up their efforts even further.
“Zero Waste” Isn’t As Easy As It Sounds…
European manufacturer’s lobby group European Energy Forum (EEF), has been outspoken in its view that “despite the manufacturing sector achieving a 23% reduction in waste production and a 43% landfill diversion rate between 2002-2009, many firms still face significant regulatory and practical barriers when it comes dealing with their waste cost-effectively.” The EEF points to the Economic viability of recycling and recovering residual waste, lack of local or regional treatment infrastructure in the EU and finding end-markets for secondary materials as their main concerns.
What Can U.S.-Based Businesses Take Away from the EU Waste Directive?
The United States has a no current national waste policy in place that approaches the EU Waste Framework Directive, mostly due to the current political polarization and level of public disagreement over the existence of Climate Change as factual science.
That said, we are all aware of the existing and growing set of EPA regulations around waste management and environmental protection as a whole. And as the awareness and importance of environmental initiatives continue to grow, we can easily foresee more government regulations at least somewhat based on the EU Directive.
There is never a better time than the present for a company or industry to address their waste problems.
What Can Your Company Do To Get On Top Of Its Waste Management?
At WasteStrategies, we are an environmental waste management firm dedicated to helping clients at all stages along the way from meeting basic compliance requirements to crafting long-term zero waste strategies. We offer strategic consultation, auditing, reporting, and complete turnkey services needed to address your needs wherever your organization currently finds itself. Contact WasteStrategies to get your free Waste Stream Audit.
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