The Parliament's Enviroment Committee on 28 November backed a report by British Conservative Caroline Jackson MEP on the revision of the EU's waste framework directive.
For the first time, the directive introduces waste prevention targets for the EU. "The aim is that the member states will stabilise their waste production by 2012 to the level produced in 2008," Jackson said.
The report also establishes a clear hierarchy in the way waste is to be treated. "This gives priority to the prevention, re-use and recycling of waste. After that comes the treatment of waste in incinerators with energy recovery, and then landfill," Jackson said.
But the strict hierarchy is not welcomed by everybody. UEAPME, the European small business organisation, said that it is too rigid compared with the previous three-step scheme.
Separately, a proposal to reclassify incineration from "disposal" to "recovery" for energy production was rejected by the Committee.
Melissa Shinn, waste policy officer at the European Environment Bureau, said: "MEPs have recognised that the principal function of incinerators is disposal, even if they must recover as much energy as possible whilst doing so."
Environmental groups hailed the new waste-prevention targets but regretted that additional measures were not taken. "It is disappointing that progressive recycling targets were not adopted," said Dr Michael Warhurst at Friends of the Earth Europe.
The report will be presented to the full House for a vote in February 2007.
