Waste management, a bet for the future
Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2025 8:50 am
Photo: Phiseksit [FreeDigitalPhotos.net]“Noelia Sánchez is a Professor in the Department of Environment at Bureau Veritas University Center.”
In the European Union, approximately 2 billion tonnes of waste are generated each year, of which more than 40 million tonnes are classified as hazardous. Over the past six years, the amount of waste generated has increased by 10% each year.
The main sources of waste are agriculture, construction, mining activities and urban areas.
This situation is no longer sustainable. Waste is no longer just a danger to the environment but is also an increasing threat to human health.
The European Parliament has adopted a resolution on chinese america data effective waste management, in response to requests from hundreds of citizens concerned about inadequate waste management.
MEPs are calling on member states to make an effort to increase investment in this field in order to establish strategies, infrastructure and facilities suitable for waste management.
The European Parliament underlines the economic, environmental and health benefits of good waste management and points out that the recycling industry offers the potential to create up to half a million jobs. It also states that if recycling legislation were fully implemented, 72 billion euros could be saved.
There is no single solution that can be applied to all situations, but the European Union's strategy regarding waste management is based on the following principles:
Prevention principle : the production of waste has to be reduced and, where possible, avoided.
Producer responsibility and the polluter pays principle : those who produce waste or pollute the environment must pay all the costs of their actions.
Precautionary principle : all potential problems must be anticipated.
Proximity principle : waste must be disposed of as close to its source as possible.
These principles are embodied in a general strategy that establishes a hierarchy of waste management operations:
1. Waste prevention.
2. Recycling and reuse.
3. Permanent elimination.
There is a clear need to reduce waste shipments and improve regulations in this area, as well as to establish better waste management instruments, such as, for example: regulatory and economic instruments, reliable and comparable waste statistics, waste management plans and monitoring of compliance with legislation.
In the European Union, approximately 2 billion tonnes of waste are generated each year, of which more than 40 million tonnes are classified as hazardous. Over the past six years, the amount of waste generated has increased by 10% each year.
The main sources of waste are agriculture, construction, mining activities and urban areas.
This situation is no longer sustainable. Waste is no longer just a danger to the environment but is also an increasing threat to human health.
The European Parliament has adopted a resolution on chinese america data effective waste management, in response to requests from hundreds of citizens concerned about inadequate waste management.
MEPs are calling on member states to make an effort to increase investment in this field in order to establish strategies, infrastructure and facilities suitable for waste management.
The European Parliament underlines the economic, environmental and health benefits of good waste management and points out that the recycling industry offers the potential to create up to half a million jobs. It also states that if recycling legislation were fully implemented, 72 billion euros could be saved.
There is no single solution that can be applied to all situations, but the European Union's strategy regarding waste management is based on the following principles:
Prevention principle : the production of waste has to be reduced and, where possible, avoided.
Producer responsibility and the polluter pays principle : those who produce waste or pollute the environment must pay all the costs of their actions.
Precautionary principle : all potential problems must be anticipated.
Proximity principle : waste must be disposed of as close to its source as possible.
These principles are embodied in a general strategy that establishes a hierarchy of waste management operations:
1. Waste prevention.
2. Recycling and reuse.
3. Permanent elimination.
There is a clear need to reduce waste shipments and improve regulations in this area, as well as to establish better waste management instruments, such as, for example: regulatory and economic instruments, reliable and comparable waste statistics, waste management plans and monitoring of compliance with legislation.