About: Waste and recycling
Waste incineration across Europe and the UK: profit at the expense of climate
The EU and the UK must bring waste incineration plants within the scope of emissions trading schemes (ETS) if they are to achieve net zero-emissions and comply with the Paris Agreement, writes Georgia Elliott-Smith.
Call it by its name: Synthetic gas and oil from old plastics is not ‘recycling’, it’s ‘recovery’
The term “chemical recycling” should only be used for plastic waste reconverted into new plastics. If those plastics are transformed into fuels or petrochemical products, the process should be called “recovery” instead, write Shanar Tabrizi and Fanny Rateau.
‘Open strategic autonomy’: A vision for Europe’s raw materials future
Europe’s “green recovery” will be based on industrial leadership in the production of computers, batteries, electric vehicles, and wind turbines, writes Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou.
Business strategies for cost-saving circular economy solutions
Circular economy principles offer compelling strategic and operational benefits for the manufacturing industry. These include substantial cost savings, which companies should take advantage of, writes Rafael Go.
EU Waste Regulation – Blazing a trail for circular consumer packaging?
Consumers appreciate recyclates in packaging as long as it doesn’t affect the quality, functionality and price of the product. But how do companies remain competitive in view of added costs for high-quality recycling and the low price of virgin plastics? Michael Laermann tries to find the answer.
Waste incineration: An extreme carbon outlier
Meeting the EU’s 10% landfill target is possible without climate damage, writes Janek Vähk.
Climate action needs better products
The EU has recently paved the way for longer-lasting products. Now we must enshrine this ambition into our future European Green Deal, write Jean-Pierre Schweitzer and Melissa Zill.
Chemical recycling of plastic: Waste no more?
Plastics recycling is as much of a challenge as an opportunity for the circular economy. Michael Laermann looks at chemical recycling and whether it can make the plastics value chain more circular whilst providing a profitable new industry branch.
Circular economy must remain a priority for Europe beyond the 2019 elections
The Circular Economy Package and Plastics Strategy have set a high-level framework to improve the resource efficiency of the European economy. But to be effective, this framework must remain a policy priority for the next European Commission and Parliament, writes Nick Molho.
Waste incineration is waste incineration, no matter the classification
The European Parliament must reject any proposal that provides Cohesion Funds to incineration facilities, no matter their classification, writes Dr. Ingrid Behrsin.
How the EU’s Cohesion Fund can support the circular economy
The EU’s next Cohesion Fund for regional development should prioritise investments into waste management systems focused on prevention, re-use, separate collection and recycling – not on incineration, argues Janek Vahk.
EU’s proposed tax on burning plastic waste is counter-productive
The CO2 emissions reductions achieved by plastic recycling is very costly when compared to alternatives like wind energy and solar PV, while much energy can be extracted from burning plastic waste, argue Raymond Gradus and Henriëtte Prast.
Time for an eco-design revolution on carpets and mattresses
A lot more must be done to incentivise everyday product recyclability, writes Ward Mosmuller. Bulky products that are not recycled today – like carpets, mattresses and furniture – would be a good place to start, he argues.
Renewables law could lock EU into costly burning technologies
The EU Council’s position on the recast Renewable Energy Directive (REDII), if adopted, could lock EU member states into expensive and polluting waste-to-energy technologies that contradict the circular economy and climate objectives, writes Janek Vahk.
Circular economy? Not without the internal market!
Without oversight, the implementation of the circular economy package entails a huge risk of Member States going into different directions and introducing barriers to the internal market, warns Virginia Janssens.
Why the EU’s renewable energy proposal subverts the circular economy
To date, the Renewable Energy Directive has been a key obstacle to achieving waste policy objectives. If the EU is serious about the transition towards a circular economy, it is crucial that incentive schemes for renewables encourage separate collection and recycling, writes Janek Vahk.
Microplastics, macro problems
Tackling the visible impact of plastic pollution is one thing. But if we’re serious about finding a long-term solution, revealing the invisible impact is imperative, writes the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Jocelyn Blériot, calling for a ban on oxo-degradable plastics that are still widely used in carrier bags.
China is no longer the EU’s plastic dumping ground: What’s next?
What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? With EU production of plastic waste showing no sign of slowing down and China – the world’s biggest importer of plastic waste – set to ban imports, we’re about to find out, argues Meadhbh Bolger.
Matching realism and ambition in aluminium recycling
Ambitious yet realistic targets for all packaging materials are essential to building a truly circular economy in Europe, writes Maarten Labberton.
A Canadian circular economy reality
Edmonton has become the first city which turns all non-compostable and non-recyclable household waste into methanol, ethanol and green chemicals. Europe should take notice, writes Lambert van Nistelrooij.
In the rush to get waste out of landfill, the EU risks losing sight of its recycling targets
Since 2010, billions of euros have been committed for energy from waste (EfW) infrastructure in Northern Europe. This would be sensible if recycling levels remained unchanged, writes Adam Baddeley.
Why recycling must be on the agenda of COP22
Those serious about tackling climate change should start recognising the huge untapped potential of recycling as a green partner, writes Ranjit Baxi.
EU recycling targets are unworkable: The evidence speaks for itself
Contrary to what the environmental lobby argues, the EU’s proposed recycling target is unattainable and socially sub-optimal, write Raymond Gradus and Elbert Dijkgraaf.