Navigation path

Waste & Natural Resources

Although 30 years of EU waste legislation have significantly improved waste management practices in Europe total waste volumes continue to increase at rates comparable to economic growth. This represents a continued challenge, but also a waste of resources since natural resources become waste at the end of their useful life. Resource use has been an issue in European environment policy discussions over the past 30 years. Currently, resource use is eroding the planet's carrying capacity to regenerate the resources and environmental services on which our prosperity and growth are based.

The challenge for us is to facilitate and stimulate growth while at the same time ensure that the state of the environment does not get worse. Our aim is to become a resource efficient society that avoids waste and uses the remaining waste as a resource. We need to move from a linear economy where we mine, manufacture, use and throw away to a more circular economic model where we re-manufacture, re-use and recycle.

That is why in July 2014 the European Commission adopted the Communication "Towards a circular economy: a zero waste program for Europe" also called Circular economy package. As part of the package the Commission adopted a legislative proposal to review recycling and other waste-related targets in the EU. The main elements of the proposal include: targets for recycling/reuse of municipal waste to 70% until 2030, increase of packaging waste recycling/reuse to 80% until 2030, phasing out of landfilling by 2025 for recyclable waste, reduction of food waste by 30% until 2025, introduction of early warning system, improving traceability of hazardous waste.

Turning Europe into a more circular economy doesn't bring only obligations for the member states, it also means a big step towards increasing the competitiveness of Europe and the quality of our lives. Boosting recycling subsequently prevents the loss of valuable scarce resources and can lead to a boost in GDP. It helps to develop new business models that will lead to the creation of new jobs. And it drives us forward to reach our overall objective to reduce the negative environmental impacts associated with the use of natural resources including reduction of greenhouse emissions, air pollution, soil and water contamination, ranging from climate change to the overexploitation of certain resources.

The way forward is clear if we are to meet both the needs of the environment and stakeholders: less waste, more and better recycling and more sustainable use of natural resources.