These included targets for battery recycling, as well as legislation for the disposal of PCBs – chemicals which were used in some electrical equipment and phased out of use by 2000. Targets for end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) will also be revisited after 2010.
Mr Makela indicated that the idea of minimisation targets for municipal waste which has been put forward by the European Parliament, might actually get through the legislative process and be incorporated in the Waste Framework Directive.
The UK is likely to look with interest on this development as last month Defra published figures for the amount of waste produced per household in each local authority area, alongside municipal waste recycling league tables (see letsrecycle.com story).
Mr Makela added that most countries actually produced more waste per head of population, according to 2005 figures than they had done in 1995. Ireland's rise topped the table, with its figures rising from around 500 kg in 1995 to around 700kg in 2005. The UK's increased from around 500 to 600kg.
Those that reduced the amount of waste produced included Bulgaria, Slovenia and Lithuania. Bulgaria topped the waste minimisation table by reducing its figure from around 700kg per head to around 450kg.
Mr Makela also discussed the Action Plan for sustainable production and consumption that the Commission is presently drawing up and said: “I believe the UK will be very happy with what we propose. This goes along with UK thinking.”
Waste policies should move towards coherent resources policies
Timo Makela, European Commission
The UK government has been looking at ways to make products more efficient and sustainable to reduce waste and make recycling easier. This was an issue raised by secretary-of-state for environment Hilary Benn in his speech at the same conference (see letsrecycle.com story).
Mr Makela also highlighted recent developments in key policies such as the implementation of the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations in July, the adoption of the Waste Framework Directive – expected at the end of 2008 – and the launch of the International Panel for Sustainable Resources Management in Budapest, in November.
He said these developments should help streamline legislation and added: “Waste policies should move towards coherent resources policies and towards a further consolidation and streamlining of the legislative structure.”
However, Mr Makela also explained there was more to do in the non-municipal sector and said: “We are not doing very well in terms of construction and demolition waste.”
Climate change
Greenhouse gases have risen by 70% from 1974 to 2000, according to Mr Makela, who predicted that by 2050, global consumption levels would increase sixfold partly because of emerging economies.
He said waste management would have a major part to play in making the planet more sustainable and added: “Increasing resource efficiency has a direct impact on climate change. Europe has reduced emissions by 5% through intervention in waste.”
He continued: “We need a robust global regime for resource management and global rules and standards for resource and waste management.”
Landfill
Mr Makela described landfilling as one of the biggest concerns facing the EU and that figures for this year's showed many member states had a high dependency on landfill.
The UK landfilled around 60% of its waste, recycling/composted just over 30% and sent the rest to energy-from-waste last year.
Mr Makela was speaking at the “Waste and Recycling – What Next?” conference hosted by the Associate Parliamentary Sustainable Resource Group and letsrecycle.com
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