Search results
62 results
Sort by:
Economic instruments and separate collection systems — key strategies to increase recycling
The EU has set ambitious targets to improve municipal waste management. EU Member States need effective strategies and policy instruments to achieve these targets. This briefing provides an overview of some of the main instruments used across the EU and the performance of Member States so far.
Better management of municipal waste will reduce greenhouse gas emissions
The road from landfilling to recycling: common destination, different routes
Diverting waste from landfill - Effectiveness of waste-management policies in the European Union
Issued in 1999, the Landfill Directive marked a decisive shift from landfill towards the EU's new waste hierarchy, which prioritises waste prevention, followed by re-use, recycling and recovery, and seeks to avoid landfilling wherever feasible. The Landfill Directive set targets for progressively reducing the amount of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled in the period to 2016. A decade on from the Landfill Directive's enactment seems a fitting time to review progress and extract key lessons for policy-makers in Europe and elsewhere. Through individual and comparative analyses of waste management in five countries and one sub-national region (Estonia, Finland, the Flemish Region of Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Italy), as well as an econometric analysis of the EU–25 Member States, this report seeks to answer a number of important questions, including: To what extent was waste management practice changed in the last decade? How much of the change was due to the Landfill Directive (and other EU instruments)? What measures and institutional arrangements did countries introduce? Which measures and arrangements proved most effective in different national and regional contexts?
How much bioenergy can Europe produce without harming the environment?
The purpose of this report is to assess how much biomass could technically be available for energy production without increasing pressures on the environment. As such, it develops a number of environmental criteria for bioenergy production, which are then used as assumptions for modelling the primary potential. These criteria were developed on a European scale. Complementary assessments at more regional and local scale are recommended as a follow-up of this work.
4.3 Waste recycling
This briefing assesses Europe’s progress towards turning waste into a resource. It uses reported recycling data for different waste streams as a proxy and assumes that the recycled amounts replace new materials that would otherwise have come from virgin sources. The extent to which recycled materials can contribute to Europe’s material demand is assessed in briefing 4.4 Circular economy financing and strategies .
Reaching 2030’s residual municipal waste target — why recycling is not enough
Municipal waste accounts for 27% of total waste generated in the EU (excluding mineral waste). If not managed properly, it can have significant negative impacts on both human health and the environment. The 2020 EU circular economy action plan aims to halve the quantity of municipal waste not recycled or prepared for reuse by 2030, while all EU Member States must recycle or prepare for reuse at least 60% of their municipal waste by 2030. This briefing explores how these targets are linked and how more ambitious waste prevention actions will be key to reaching them.
Municipal waste management in the Western Balkan countries
Municipal waste, if not managed properly, is a source of pollution. However, it also contains valuable materials that can be recycled. As in the EU, in the Western Balkan countries, municipal waste has been the target of waste policies for several years, mainly aimed at improving waste management. This briefing reviews current waste issues across the region, key initiatives being implemented, and remaining obstacles to preventing municipal waste generation and to its appropriate management.
The rate of recycling versus incineration with energy recovery of municipal waste, 2005
Treatment of municipal waste
Trend in generation of municipal waste in the EU, EFTA countries, Turkey and Western Balkan countries, 2003 and 2010
The figure is a bar plot of the generation of municipal waste in kg per capita, covering 2003 and 2010.
Trends and projections of GHG emissions from management of municipal waste in the European Union
Trends in composting of municipal waste, latest available five years
Trends in recycling of municipal waste, latest available five years
Typical charge (gate fee and landfill tax) for legal landfilling of non-hazardous municipal waste in EU Member States and regions
-
Yearly average percentage point increase in total recycling of municipal waste, 2001–2005 and 2006–2010
Yearly average percentage point increase in total recycling of municipal waste, 2001–2005 and 2006–2010
Regional recycling rates for municipal solid waste, 2008/2009
-
Municipal waste landfilling rates in 32 European countries, 2001 and 2010
Percentage of municipal waste landfilled in each European country, 2001 and 2010
Municipal waste recycling rates in 32 European countries, 2001 and 2010
The total recycling of municipal waste stated in percentage of the generated amount
National reporting of the relative level of material-recycled municipal waste and recycled packaging waste (EU-27 and Norway, 2009)
The figure illustrates the relation between reported amounts of recycled packaging waste and recycled municipal waste and groups the countries into four categories.
Number of countries at different levels of the municipal waste management hierarchy, 2001 and 2010
The number of countries achieving defined levels of MSW management in 2001 and 2010. Countries > 25% recycling, > 25% incineration, > 50% landfilling and >75% landfilling. Each country can be included in several waste management categories. Therefore, the total number of countries is greater than 32.
Overview of landfill taxes on municipal waste used in EU Member States, 2023
Overview of taxes on the incineration of municipal waste used in EU Member States, 2023
Percentage of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled in 2006, 2009 and 2010 compared with the amount generated in 1995 — countries without derogation periods
Percentage of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled in 2006, 2009 and 2010 compared with the amount generated in 1995 — countries without derogation periods
Percentage of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled in 2006, 2009 and 2010 compared with the amount generated in 1995 — countries with derogation periods
Percentage of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled in each European country with derogation periods for fulfilling the BMW diversion targets of the EU Landfill Directive, compared with the amount generated in 1995. The general derogation is a four year period implying that the countries have to fulfill the targets by 2010, 2013 and 2020 in stead of by 2006, 2009 and 2016. Some countries have diverting derogations periods: Ireland: derogation only for the 2006 and 2009 targets, to be met 2010 and 2013. Portugal: derogation only for the 2009 and 2016 targets, to be met in 2013 and 2020. Slovenia: derogation only for the 2016 target, to be met by 2020. Croatia must meet the targets by 2013, 2016 and 2020.