Including waste incineration in EU ETS can slash emissions and create thousands of jobs, new study finds
Brussels 19 June 2025 – A new study by CE Delft, commissioned by Zero Waste Europe and Reloop, confirms that including waste incineration in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) would deliver powerful climate and employment benefits.
The main findings of the “Waste incineration under the EU ETS – an assessment of climate benefits” study include:
1. Massive emissions cuts. Adding incineration to the EU ETS would slash CO₂ emissions by 4 to 7 million tonnes in 2030, rising to 18 to 32 million tonnes in 2040.
These reductions stem from a combination of pre- and post-collection sorting and recycling of waste, waste prevention, carbon capture and storage (CCS) measures, and emission reduction efforts in other sectors of the EU ETS.
These figures represent a minimum, as emission reductions outside the ‘’scope 1 emissions’’ of EU ETS – such as those linked to reduced imports of virgin plastics from countries like the United States and China – are not included.
2. Thousands of new jobs. Transitioning from incineration to recycling would create 8,700 to 16,400 new jobs by 2030, and 11,600 to 21,700 by 2040, as recycling is far more labour-intensive than burning waste.
To maximise impact, the study recommends complementary policies such as mandatory recycled content in plastics, wider use of Pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) tariffs, and stronger Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes.
Janek Vähk, Zero Pollution Policy Manager at Zero Waste Europe, said: “This is a clear win for climate and jobs. Pricing incineration will push Europe to reduce waste, recycle more, and cut emissions where it counts.”
Anna Larsson, Director, Circular Economy Development at Reloop, added: “Multiple lines of evidence from various countries reveal that waste destined for incineration contains over 30% valuable packaging materials. ETS for waste incineration will rescue these resources from combustion, and it is an essential step toward strengthening Europe’s resilience and reducing its carbon footprint.”
ENDS
Read the full study HERE.
Press contacts
Ana Oliveira / Head of Communications at Zero Waste Europe
[email protected] or [email protected] / +32 471 96 55 93
Janek Vahk / Zero Pollution Policy Manager
About Zero Waste Europe
Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) is the European network of communities, local leaders, experts, and change agents working towards a better use of resources and the elimination of waste in our society. We advocate for sustainable systems; for the redesign of our relationship with resources; and for a global shift towards environmental justice, accelerating a just transition towards zero waste for the benefit of people and the planet/ www.zerowasteeurope.eu
About Reloop
Reloop is an international non-profit organisation that works at the centre of policy-making with governments, industry stakeholders, and NGOs. Our vision and mission are ambitious and focused on building a world free of waste, where our natural resources remain resources. Reloop’s policy positions and recommendations are always based on data-driven research, real-world case studies and experience, best-in-class principles, and the collective expertise of our team.