Taking sustainable use of resources forward: A Thematic Strategy on the prevention and recycling of waste.
Country
Type of law
Policy
Abstract
The Thematic Strategy on the prevention and recycling of waste is a regional policy relating to the member states of the European Union with a sectoral approach. The purpose of the policy is to prevent waste and promote reuse, recycling and recovery to use waste as a resource in order to reduce the negative environmental impact.
Employment opportunities will be created due to increased recycling.
This policy lays down measures promoting waste prevention, recycling and reuse in such a way as to ensure that negative environmental impact will be minimized throughout the entire life cycle of resources. The regulatory environment of waste management activities will be improved, leading to decreased costs and reduced barriers for waste recycling and recovery activities. The existing legal framework will be modernized to become an economically and environmentally efficient recycling society. To this end, the Waste Management Committee shall be responsible to take legal actions for the implementation and enforcement of the existing legislation across all Member States. Waste recovery, recycling and reuse will be integrated into the relevant legislation in the fields of hazardous waste, waste oils, and shipment of waste. Waste prevention policies will be strengthened and implemented at the national level and the Member States’ will be obliged to develop publicly available waste prevention programmes. The use of the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive and other tools will be promoted at the EU level to encourage the spread of best practice. Minimum standards will be set across the Community for recycling activities and recycled materials so as to secure a higher level of environmental protection, with an emphasis on biowaste. This Thematic Strategy stresses on waste prevention and the recovery, recycling and reuse of wastes which cannot be prevented as much as feasible, with landfill being used as little as possible. The energy recovery from waste will be promoted to increase energy efficiency and to meet the targets under the Directive on the promotion of electricity produced from renewable energy sources. Internal market for recycling will be improved based on EU standards to allow recycling to take place where it is most efficient.
The emissions from waste disposal will be reduced through increases in waste recovery and it will result in environmental benefits such as reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
The strategy will be monitored on an on-going basis. The Commission will review the progress made towards achieving the strategy’s objective in 2010.
Employment opportunities will be created due to increased recycling.
This policy lays down measures promoting waste prevention, recycling and reuse in such a way as to ensure that negative environmental impact will be minimized throughout the entire life cycle of resources. The regulatory environment of waste management activities will be improved, leading to decreased costs and reduced barriers for waste recycling and recovery activities. The existing legal framework will be modernized to become an economically and environmentally efficient recycling society. To this end, the Waste Management Committee shall be responsible to take legal actions for the implementation and enforcement of the existing legislation across all Member States. Waste recovery, recycling and reuse will be integrated into the relevant legislation in the fields of hazardous waste, waste oils, and shipment of waste. Waste prevention policies will be strengthened and implemented at the national level and the Member States’ will be obliged to develop publicly available waste prevention programmes. The use of the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive and other tools will be promoted at the EU level to encourage the spread of best practice. Minimum standards will be set across the Community for recycling activities and recycled materials so as to secure a higher level of environmental protection, with an emphasis on biowaste. This Thematic Strategy stresses on waste prevention and the recovery, recycling and reuse of wastes which cannot be prevented as much as feasible, with landfill being used as little as possible. The energy recovery from waste will be promoted to increase energy efficiency and to meet the targets under the Directive on the promotion of electricity produced from renewable energy sources. Internal market for recycling will be improved based on EU standards to allow recycling to take place where it is most efficient.
The emissions from waste disposal will be reduced through increases in waste recovery and it will result in environmental benefits such as reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
The strategy will be monitored on an on-going basis. The Commission will review the progress made towards achieving the strategy’s objective in 2010.
Attached files
Web site
Date of text
Repealed
No
Source language
English
Legislation Amendment
No