Understanding the costs: a brief overview of the economic costs related to waste infrastructure across Europe

In the current landscape of European municipalities, the shift towards zero waste is undeniably grounded in environmental concerns. The environmental advantages of embracing a zero waste approach are evident, but from an economic perspective, the municipal standpoint becomes somewhat less clear.

This report serves as an introductory guide for those seeking a comprehensive understanding of the costs and financing involved in establishing and implementing essential infrastructure elements crucial to a local zero waste strategy. The intention is to offer a broad overview from diverse European contexts, presenting data from a representative sample of European scenarios (Austria, Czech Republic, Italy, Lithuania and Spain), allowing readers to explore various examples of costs linked to systems aimed at enhancing local waste management.