Zero Waste Europe joined RPa, ECOS, and Deutsch Umwelthilfe on a reaction to the Joint Research Center (JRC) studies that are intended to provide a scientific analysis of chemical ‘recycling’. In focusing too much on pyrolysis and gasification, these studies set the wrong pathway for the definition of recycling, which should ensure only efficient technologies are promoted.
Programme: Climate, Energy and Air Pollution
Guidance for the interpretation of the European Parliament proposal on Art. 29 of the REDIII regarding mixed waste sorting systems of ‘defined quality’
This policy briefing by Reloop and Zero Waste Europe provides guidelines for legislating mixed waste sorting (MWS) in the context of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). The guidelines were developed to clarify the amendment proposed by the European Parliament regarding the use of mixed wastes for ‘renewable energy’ purposes. The document recommends applying MWS systems of defined quality to remove fossil-derived materials to ensure that only biogenic waste is used for renewable energy generation. Following the requirement, the operators would either need to pre-sort the waste on-site or demonstrate that all waste received has undergone sorting prior to it being delivered for incineration.
Available in English.
Mixed Waste Sorting to meet the EU’s Circular Economy Objectives
This report and policy briefing studied whether, and to what extent, the EU recycling targets can be met through improved recyclability of packaging and increased separate collections of municipal waste—and, if not, what measures could be taken to achieve them.
It has examined the role mixed waste sorting (MWS) could play in three EU countries with high recycling performance – Germany, Belgium, and Sweden. The conclusion was concluded that, in addition to separate collection and improved recyclability of plastic packaging, a full roll-out of effective MWS is necessary to ensure that recycling targets are consistently met and to ensure progress towards the EU’s wider carbon emissions reduction goals.
Available in English.
Debunking Efficient Recovery: The Performance of EU Incineration Facilities
This report estimates efficiencies of generation of energy from waste for Member States which incinerate a significant share of the waste incinerated across the EU. It highlights that the energy efficiency of EU incinerators are appallingly low and the distinction between recovery (R1) and disposal (D10) incininerators is arbitrary, and should therefore be dropped from the EU Waste Directive.
Full report available in English. Executive summaries are available in English and Hungarian.
The True Toxic Toll: Biomonitoring research on dioxins (PCDD/F and DL-PCB), PFAS and PAH 2022
Building on the 2021 results, Zero Waste Europe coordinated again a biomonitoring research on incinerator emissions across Europe, together with ToxicoWatch, Hnuti Duha, Ziedine Ekonomika, and Ecologists en Accion Spain.
The results found again high levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the vicinity of incinerators.
Available in English.
Executive Summaries are available in English, Lithuanian and Czech.
Open letter to the European Commission on keeping up the ambition in times of crisis
Together with 29 other organisations and associations, Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) sent an open letter to the President of the European Commission, the Executive-Vice-President, the Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries and the Commissioner for lnternal Market on the topic of the current energy crisis. In the letter, the signatories state their concerns regarding the European project not being capable of delivering on its objectives of peace, prosperity, and equality with the current policies. The signatories urge the Commission to redouble its efforts to increase resource efficiency and decarbonise production and consumption. Consequently, the policies on circularity and net-zero should be reinforced and remain at the top of the EU agenda.
Letter on the GHG emissions saving methodology for RCF
Zero Waste Europe, ECOS, European Environmental Bureau (EEB), Transport & Environment (T&E), Bellona and Polish Zero Waste Association sent a joint letter to the Permanent Representations as well as the ENVI and ITRE rapporteurs and shadows of the Renewable Energy Directive on the GHG emissions of waste-based recycled carbon fuels ahead of the third trilogue meeting on 14 December 2022. The letter underlines the importance of taking the carbon content of feedstock when analyzing low carbon fuels.
New Energy For Europe
The European project as we know it is running out of steam and it is not capable of delivering on its objectives of peace, prosperity, and equality.
In order to stay within the commitment of 1.5°C degrees warming, the broken paradigm based on economic growth should be replaced with a new one. Our Manifesto calls on the need for building a new European project based on wellbeing, sufficiency, and resilience.
Joint letter – Inclusion of waste incineration in the EU ETS
In a joint letter addressed to the Permanent Representations of EU member states, Zero Waste Europe and 17 other civil society organisations urge the EU to reduce its municipal waste incineration capacities; and to fully exploit the climate protection potential of waste prevention and recycling, in order to achieve the EU’s climate protection targets.
Available in English.
Incineration: what’s the effect on gas consumption?
The war in Ukraine has led to major shifts in the EU’s energy markets. A combination of Russia’s weaponising of its energy supplies by reducing supply, particularly of gas, allied with a determination on the part of the majority of EU member states to stem the flow of energy-related revenue to Russia, has led to a significant increase in the price of gas in wholesale markets. The waste management industry has advanced its case as a potential contributor to a solution to the gas and climate crises. It has claimed that incineration and co-incineration could be deployed more widely than is currently the case, with claimed benefits for climate change and fossil fuel consumption.
Written by Equanimator Ltd on behalf of Zero Waste Europe, this report disproves that notion, comprehensively showing that waste-to-energy only dispels 1.1% of the EU27 consumption of Russian gas.
Full report available in English. Executive Summary available in English, Croatian, Hungarian, and Polish.
Climate impact of pyrolysis of waste plastic packaging in comparison with reuse and mechanical recycling
Commissioned by Zero Waste Europe and the Rethink Plastic alliance to the Öko-Institut, this study compares seven scenarios for the future of plastic packaging in the European Union (EU) from a climate perspective, following the projected amounts of recycled plastics needed by 2030.
Available in English.
Joint Letter to DG FISMA on the manufacture of plastic packaging goods
ZWE, ClientEarth, DUH, ECOS, EEB and Sekab sent a joint letter to the European Commission on the clarification on the manufacture of plastic packaging goods in the fourth delegated act of the EU Taxonomy.
The letter puts forward a number of recommendations to ensure appropriate technical screening criteria that are in line with a transition towards a circular economy.
Available in English.
Letter on the role of incineration in Ukraine’s Recovery Plan
Zero Waste Europe (ZWE), Zero Waste Alliance Ukraine (ZWAU) and Break Free From Plastic (BFFP) sent a letter to the President of the European Commission concerning the role of incineration in Ukraine’s Recovery Plan. The letter puts forward a number of concerns related to the prospective EU funding facilitating the increase of incineration capacity in Ukraine as part of the country’s recovery plan.
Available in English.
Zero Waste Europe Strategic Framework 2022-24
Europe is in the midst of a transition and zero waste is part of it.
Ten years ago, the concept of zero waste was laughed at. Today, zero waste is mainstream, from being considered a practical approach to implementing a circular economy to a trending lifestyle globally. The efforts from civil society groups in Europe and around the world pushed the debate higher in the waste hierarchy. If at any time over the last twenty years reuse and prevention had a chance, it is now. And ZWE is committed to bringing that change forward.
From a content perspective, for the next 3 years, we will focus on bringing IN incentives and funding for the transition, phasing OUT toxics, lifting UP reuse, pushing for BETTER recycling and bringing waste disposal DOWN.
Our Strategic Framework for 2022-24 outlines the ZWE roadmap and goals for the coming years, with the ultimate aim of helping us achieve a zero waste future for Europe (and for the world, while we’re at it).
Available in English.
Waste trade and incineration – debunking an unnecessary alliance
To further limit the waste shipped outside its territory, the EU is looking at adopting new waste export bans. In this case, any surplus of waste should be absorbed by intra-EU recycling, prevention, and reuse activities. However, the incineration industry claims that potential waste export restrictions should lead to an increase in the need for incineration capacity.
This study demonstrates that the need for further incineration capacity resulting from new waste export bans is neither necessary nor justified.
Available in English.
Request to cease development of Standardisation Request on ‘plastics recycling and recycled plastics’
In a letter sent to the European Commission, ECOS, Zero Waste Europe, and the Rethink Plastic alliance ask EU Commissioners Thierry Breton and Virginijus Sinkevicius to stop the development of a Standardisation Request on ‘plastics recycling and recycled plastics’. This is the first stage for new standards on the matter.
The True Toxic Toll: Biomonitoring of incineration emissions
In Europe, waste incinerators are on the rise, often being promoted as a safe way to dispose of our waste. The way emissions are measured only represents a tiny snapshot of the incinerator’s output – meaning, not all incineration emissions are evaluated. Zero Waste Europe coordinated a biomonitoring research on incinerator emissions across Europe, together with ToxicoWatch, Hnuti Duha, Ziedine Ekonomika, and Ecologists en Accion Spain. Biomonitoring is the measurement of pollutants which spread into the surrounding environment of an incinerator, and can be found within living organisms.
Full report and infographics available in English.
Executive Summary available in English, Croatian, and German.
Toxic Fallout – Waste Incinerator Bottom Ash in a Circular Economy
This report uses independent empirical research to evidence that incinerator bottom ash is insidiously hazardous and underregulated. Risk is heightened by the fact that testing methods for its use as a building material are outdated. A list of fifteen concerns for public health and safety is provided in relation to the use of waste incinerator bottom ash in cement-based products and as road/pathway aggregate. Calls for the support of its use within a circular economy are premature, and, as per the precautionary principle, all ongoing usage should cease. Examination of independently analysed bottom ash provides a diagnostic on the operational steady state of waste incinerators, incidentally raising concerns about operational compliance with emissions legislation and the capacity of incinerators to produce benign bottom ash when fed with municipal solid waste.
Available in English, French, and Traditional Chinese.