The document provides information on EU waste management policies and legislation. It discusses that waste represents an enormous loss of resources and environmental and health impacts. EU policies aim to reduce waste generation and promote recycling and reuse. It provides statistics on municipal solid waste generation and treatment methods across EU member states. It also outlines various EU directives governing waste streams like packaging, electronics, batteries, and more to increase recycling and recovery of materials.

1. Deepening Knowledge Module on
Waste Management
Developer of the module: Kaunas Science and Technology Park
Use here a significant high resolution image as a ‘header’
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387

2. Waste is any substance or object which the holder discards or intends or is required to
discard, potentially represents an enormous loss of resources in the form of both
materials and energy.
EU waste management policies therefore aim to reduce the environmental and health
impacts of waste and to improve the EU’s resource efficiency. The long-term aim of these
policies is to reduce the amount of waste generated and when waste generation is
unavoidable to promote it as a resource and achieve higher levels of recycling and the
safe disposal of waste.
EU waste management: introduction
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387

3. In 2014, the total waste generated in the EU-28 by all economic activities and households
amounted to 2 503 million tonnes; this was the highest amount recorded for the EU-28
during the period 2004-2014.
Europe’s waste streams
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387

4. In 2014, some 2 320 million tonnes of waste were treated in the EU-28 this includes the
treatment of waste imported into the EU and the reported amounts are therefore not
directly comparable with those on waste generation.
Waste treatment statistics
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387

5. Waste affects ecosystems, health
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
The marine and coastal areas are affected by poor management of waste, or by
littering. Marine litter is a growing concern, and not only for aesthetic reasons:
entanglement and ingestion constitute severe threats to many marine species.
Waste impacts the environment indirectly as well. Whatever is not recycled or
recovered from waste represents a loss of raw material and other inputs used in
the chain, i.e. in the production, transport and consumption phases of the product.
Well-being in many ways: methane gases contribute to climate change, air
pollutants are released into the atmosphere, freshwater sources are contaminated,
crops are grown in contaminated soil and fish ingest toxic chemicals,
subsequently ending up on our dinner plates…
Illegal activities such as illegal dumping, burning or exports also play a part, but it
is difficult to estimate the full extent of such activities, or of their impacts.

6. Waste affects: ecosystems
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387

7. Waste affects: marine and coastal
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
Around 70 % of our planet is covered by oceans and marine litter can be found almost
Everywhere.
Approximately 10 million tonnes of litter end up in the world’s seas and oceans every
year.
Mass production of plastics started in the 1950s and increased exponentially from
1.5 million tonnes per year to its current level of 280 million tonnes per year.
Research conducted by Algalita, an independent marine research institute based in
California, found in 2004 that marine water samples contained six times more plastic than
plankton.
Around 36 % of the world’s
seabird species and many
species of fish have been
reported to ingest marine litter.
About 10 % of marine litter is
discarded fishing gear, which
often kills or injures marine
animals and seabirds.

8. ~ 96 % of EU city dwellers were exposed to fine particulate matter (PM2.5)
concentrations above WHO guidelines.
110 million people are adversely affected by noise from road traffic alone.
In southern Europe, up to 80 % of the extracted freshwater goes to agriculture, reducing
the amount available to other uses.
Environment and our well-being
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387

9. Waste: Economic loss, management costs
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
Waste also represents an economic loss and burden to our society. Labour and the other
inputs (land, energy, etc.) used in its extraction, production, dissemination and
consumption phases are also lost when the ‘leftovers’ are discarded.
Moreover, waste management costs money. Creating an infrastructure for collecting,
sorting and recycling is costly, but once in place, recycling can generate revenues and
create jobs.
There is also a global dimension to waste, linked to our exports and imports. What
we consume and produce in Europe could generate waste elsewhere. And in some
instances, it actually becomes a good traded across borders, both legally and illegally.

10. The EU’s waste management policy
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
EU waste policy has evolved over the last 30 years through a series of environmental
action plans and a framework of legislation that aims to reduce negative environmental
and health impacts and create an energy and resource-efficient economy.
The EU’s Sixth Environment Action Programme (2002-2012) identified waste prevention
and management as one of four top priorities. Its primary objective is to ensure that
economic growth does not lead to more and more waste.
This led to the development of a long-term strategy on waste. The 2005 Thematic
Strategy on Waste Prevention and Recycling resulted in the revision of the Waste
Framework Directive, the cornerstone of EU waste policy.
The Waste Framework Directive, revised in 2008, streamlines waste legislation,
incorporating rules on a number of issues such as the management of hazardous waste
and waste oils.

11. EU waste legislation
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
 The Regulation on waste shipments aims to ensure the safe shipment of all types of waste,
including hazardous waste
 The Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive sets standards for the design of packaging
and lays down specific targets for the recycling and recovery of waste packaging
 The EU’s Landfill Directive and the Waste Incineration Directive set standards and limits for
the release of pollution into the air or into groundwater
 The End-of-Life Vehicles Directive sets rising re-use, recycling and recovery targets and
restricts the use of hazardous substances in both new vehicles and replacement vehicle
parts
 Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) legislation lays down collection,
recycling and recovery targets for electrical goods
 The Directive on the Restriction of Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic
equipment restricts the use of hazardous substances in electronics
 The Batteries Directive sets collection, recycling and recovery targets, thereby ensuring
their proper waste management
 Legislation also targets specific waste streams such as sewage sludge, batteries,
polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated terphenyls (PCBs/PCTs).
More information: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/legislation/index.htm

12. EU waste legislation
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
EU ambassadors endorsed the provisional agreement on the four legislative proposals of the
waste package reached with the European Parliament on 18 December 2017. The waste
package will lead to more recycling of waste and contribute to the creation of a circular
economy. It will improve the way waste is managed as well as encourage the re-use of
valuable material embedded in waste.
Targets for the preparing for reuse and recycling of municipal waste:
Member states will have to set up, by 1 January 2025, separate collection for textiles and for
hazardous waste from households. In addition, they have to ensure that by 31 December 2023,
bio-waste is either collected separately or recycled at source (e. g. home composting). This is
in addition to the separate collection which already exists for paper and cardboard, glass,
metals and plastic. Specific targets for packaging will be as follows:

13. Moving up the waste hierarchy
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387

14. A life-cycle approach
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
The new Waste Framework Directive has introduced the concept of life-cycle thinking
into waste policies. This approach gives a broader view of all environmental aspects and
ensures any action has an overall benefi t compared to other options. It also means
actions to deal with waste should be compatible with other environmental initiatives.
More details: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/pubs/pdf/sustainable.pdf

15. Municipal Waste
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
Municipal waste consists of waste collected by or on
behalf of municipal authorities, or directly by the private
sector (business or private non-profit institutions) not on
behalf of municipalities. The bulk of the waste stream
originates from households, though similar wastes from
sources such as commerce, offices, public institutions
and selected municipal services are also included. It also
includes bulky waste but excludes waste from municipal
sewage networks and municipal construction and
demolition waste.
Although municipal waste represents only around 10 % of
total waste generated in the EU (it is very visible, and
prevention of this waste has the potential to reduce its
environmental impact not only during the consumption
and the waste phases but also throughout the whole life
cycle of the products consumed. Countries that have
developed efficient municipal waste management
systems generally perform better in overall waste
management.
Total municipal waste generation in the EEA countries
declined by 3 % in absolute terms and average generation
per person by 7 % from 2004 to 2014.

16. Municipal Waste treatment
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
The EU is moving away from landfilling but that the share of incineration is also growing,
with a 52 % increase between 2004 and 2015, compared with a 47 % increase for recycling
(including composting and digestion).

17. Waste treatment: Landfill
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
Landfill is the oldest form of waste treatment and the least desirable option because of
the many potential adverse impacts it can have.
The airtight conditions of landfill sites mean that materials, in particular biodegradable
waste, cannot decompose fully and, in the absence of oxygen, give off methane,
a dangerous greenhouse gas.
The methane produced by an average municipal landfill site, if converted to energy,
could provide electricity to approximately 20,000 households for a year.
An average municipal landfill site can produce up to 150 m³ of leachate a day, which
equates to the amount of fresh water that an average household consumes in a year.
It is estimated that the materials sent to landfill could have an annual commercial value
of around €5.25 billion.

18. Energy recovery
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
Energy recovery through incineration is often not the most efficient way of managing
used materials, particularly those that are difficult to burn or which release chemicals at
high temperatures.
Bio-waste (garden, kitchen and food waste) accounts for about 1/3 of the waste we throw
away at home – that is around 88 million tonnes across Europe each year. On average,
40% of bio-waste in the EU goes into landfills. However, bio-waste holds considerable
promise as a renewable source of energy and recycled compost. Energy recovered in the
form of bio-gas or thermal energy can help in the fight against climate change.
According to estimates, about one-third of the EU’s 2020 target for renewable energy in
transport could be met by using bio-gas produced from bio-waste, while around 2% of
the EU’s overall renewable energy target could be met if all bio-waste was turned into
energy.
Compost made from bio-waste can also improve the quality of our soils, replacing non-
renewable fertilizers. In 1995, more than 13 million tonnes of municipal waste was
composted by Member States. By 2008, this had reached an estimated 43.5 million
tonnes, accounting for 17% of municipal waste.

19. Recycling: Producer responsibility
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
Extended Producer Responsibility makes producers financially responsible once their
products become waste, providing them with an incentive to develop products which
avoid unnecessary waste and can be used in recycling and recovery operations.
An example of producer responsibility is the ‘Green Dot’ system currently operating in
many Member States. Producers placing material on the market pay a levy for the
collection and recycling of a related amount of waste material. This forces them to
consider the whole life cycle of the goods they produce.

20. Waste management: Re-use
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
Re-use involves the repeated use of
products and components for the same
purpose for which they were conceived.
Refrigerators, ink cartridges and computer
printers, for example, can all be refurbished
for re-use.
The re-use of products or materials such as
clothes and furniture that would otherwise
become waste has social, economic and
environmental benefits, creating jobs and
making products available to consumers
who could not necessarily afford to buy
them new.
Many Member States are introducing
policies which encourage re-use and
markets in re-used goods.

21. Waste management: Prevention
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
Good waste management begins with preventing waste being produced in the first
place – after all, what is not produced does not have to be disposed of.
One of the key tools being used to encourage waste prevention is eco-design, which
focuses on environmental aspects during the conception and design phase of a
product. Eco-friendly products should
be made using recycled secondary raw materials and should avoid the use of
hazardous substances. These products should consume less energy during the use
phase and should be able to be recycled once they have been discarded.
Waste prevention is closely linked to improving manufacturing methods and
influencing consumers so that they demand greener products and less packaging.

22. Waste management: E-waste
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
Waste electrical and electronic equipment
(WEEE) is the fastest growing waste stream
in the EU, and is expected to reach 12
million tonnes a year by 2020. Safe
collection and management of e-waste is
essential as it often contains hazardous
substances such as heavy metals which
can cause pollution and health problems. E-
waste also contains significant volumes of
valuable raw materials, like gold, silver and
platinum.
EU legislation restricts the amount of
hazardous substances in electrical and
electronic equipment making it easier and
safer to recycle and to protect human
health. The EU also sets targets for Member
States for the volumes of waste electrical
and electronic equipment they have to
collect and recycle.

23. 10 tips on how to be less wasteful
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
Think before you buy!
1. Is the product recycled or recyclable? This will
reduce the environmental impact as a new product has
not had to be made from raw material.
2. Avoid packaging waste: food packaged into separate
compartments or presented as a mini-kit is not only
more expensive but also produces more waste.
3. Buy the amount of fresh food you will use and enjoy
your leftovers by turning them into exciting new dishes.
4. Use reusable and high-quality batteries which last
longer and produce less waste. Spent batteries in the
household rubbish contain harmful chemicals that can
leak into the earth and water. Collect them separately!
Your local authorities, supermarkets or electronic
retailers can dispose of them safely.
5. Reusable products are better than disposable
products such as paper napkins, plastic razors and
plastic cups which use more resources and energy than
their reusable counterparts and quickly end up in
landfill.

24. 10 tips on how to be less wasteful
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
Think before you throw!
6. Old clothing has all sorts of innovative uses. As well
as raising money for charity, clothing can also be
shredded and turned into packaging, insulation or raw
material for textiles.
7. Paint and other waste can be taken to a specialised
recycling centre. If you do not have access to one then
let the paint dry, add sawdust or cat litter, and place it
in the dustbin.
8. Non-meat kitchen scraps can become fertile soil.
Build a compost bin either in your garden or even a
small one in your house.
9. Recyclable glass can be taken to your local bottle
bank, but do not leave it in your car until your next trip
as the added weight will increase both fuel use and
emissions.
10. If you cannot give away or sell your old furniture,
recycle it. Check if your local authority collects
furniture for recycling or perhaps there are charities in
your area that will be happy to take it off your hands.

25. Best practices in waste prevention
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
Eco-Point Initiative for Bulk Good Sales (Italy)
Eco-Point is a project born from the collaboration of Crai supermarkets and Planet Life
Economy Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to eco-friendly attitudes in the
business world. Through Eco-Points, which can be found in certain sections of their
supermarkets, Crai proposes a new way of shopping, responding to a growing public
interest in environmental issues. Eco-Points offer everyday products, such as pasta, rice,
cereals, legumes, nuts, coffee, spices and sweets, in a bulk format through direct
dispensers.
With the Eco-Point system, CRAI intends to reduce packaging waste while at the same
time offering low cost products. The benefits of the system include:
 buying only the amount necessary
 savings for the consumer between 10% and 70% compared to the price of packaged
products
 significantly lower packaging waste
The 30 Eco-Points in Italy and Switzerland prevent the use of an estimated million
packages per year. In the village of Oulx for example, 2.700 kg of product has been sold
in bulk, saving around 12.300 packages since the opening of an Eco-Point in 2005.

26. Best practices in waste prevention
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
Green Business Initiative (Ireland)
Ireland’s National Waste Prevention Programme was launched by the Minister of the
Environment, Heritage and Local Government to raise awareness and to provide
technical assistance and financial support for waste prevention and minimisation efforts.
GBI provides specific support for businesses through its:
 Waste Audit Tool, helping businesses divide wastes by type, volume and source, and
monitor changes in these categories
 Benchmarking tool, allowing businesses to compare their efficiency scores against
European averages
 Telephone helpline, on-site assistance
GBI presents a number of case studies via its website demonstrating how SMEs across
Ireland are saving money by increasing their resource efficiency. Within its first year, 190
hotels joined the Green Hospitality Awards initiative, 80 of which were rewarded with the
bronze, silver or gold standard. Through waste prevention and recycling efforts, each
hotel saved between 5,000 and 45,000 Euros, equivalent to 4,000 tonnes of waste that
would otherwise have gone to landfill.

27. Best practices in waste prevention
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
European Week for Waste Reduction
The European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR) was launched in 2009, aiming to raise
awareness on the first priority of the EU waste hierarchy, the prevention of waste
generation prior to its collection by municipal authorities. The EWWR is supported by the
LIFE+ Programme of the European Commission from 2009 to 2011, a financial instrument
devoted exclusively to environmental protection projects throughout the EU.
The European Week for Waste Reduction was designed with four main goals:
 Awareness raising on waste reduction strategies in the EU and its Member States
 Promotion of sustainable waste reducing actions
 Highlighting successful, concrete examples
 Encouraging changes in the behaviour of European citizens in their daily lives
Several public authorities were registered as Organisers since the first annual week,
done from November 21st to 29th 2009, and a wide range of stakeholders have signed up
as Project Developers during the last years.

28. Challenges ahead
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
A lot has been achieved, but much remains to be done!
The amount of waste we produce in the EU is still increasing. Yet the materials supplying
this growth in consumption are in scarce supply.
We need to ensure that our planet’s resources are managed in a responsible way which
also considers the needs of future generations.
We need to design eco-friendly products and encourage prudent and environmentally
responsible consumer behaviour to reduce the amount of waste we produce.
And we need to improve recycling to increase the supply of raw materials to European
industry.
Householders can work to reduce unnecessary waste and separate waste to produce
high-quality recyclable material.
Member States must continue working to design appropriate schemes to meet ambitious
targets, ensuring the correct incentives are put in place for businesses and households.
European Union must ensure that Member States have the support they need to comply
with EU legislation.

29. Challenges ahead
Project No. 2016-1-IT01-KA202-005387
We all have a role to play in ensuring that we get the best out of our waste