EU needs waste prevention and recycling targets to tackle climate change
| Published: 15th February 2008 16:48 |
EU needs waste prevention and recycling targets to tackle climate change
A new study, released today, shows that proposed binding minimum EU recycling targets of 50% for municipal waste by 2020 could save emissions equivalent to more than 89 million tonnes (mt) of CO2 per year. This is the equivalent to taking 31 million cars off the road. The study builds on a UK report which found that most studies showed that recycling was better for the climate than incineration.
Dr Michael Warhurst, Senior Waste Campaigner for Friends of the Earth said:
"Recycling our waste helps to tackle climate change, and targets are the best way to make sure recycling really happens across Europe. This study shows the massive potential benefits of targets for municipal waste. Friends of the Earth's analysis shows that it is crucial that targets for business waste are also agreed. The UK Government must support and implement these targets if it is to follow through on its vision of a low-carbon economy."
The study also calculates the climate benefits of waste prevention, and finds that if waste volumes were stabilised at 2006 levels, a total of 1.1 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalents would be saved by 2020.
Nathalie Cliquot of European Environmental Bureau said:
"This study provides further evidence that we must make waste prevention a reality, as it has the potential to save significant quantities of climate-changing emissions and to avoid serious environmental damage in the use of natural resources. The European Parliament has already supported a target to stabilise waste production across the EU at 2008 levels by 2012 - they must not let EU Governments dodge this crucial issue."
The new research is released exactly a year after the European Parliament voted in its first reading for the following binding EU targets for prevention and recycling:
- Stabilisation of total waste generation in each EU country at 2008 levels by 2012
- A minimum recycling rate of 50% for municipal waste by 2020, with the option of a 5-year delay for those countries with very low recycling rates.
- A minimum recycling rate of 70% for industrial, commercial, construction and demolition wastes by 2020.
Five EU countries have already achieved the 50% recycling rate for municipal solid waste, with others having set similar targets - including the UK Government in England - demonstrating that this target is easily achievable. The UK government has not set a target for recycling business wastes, nor has it set a stabilization or prevention target.
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