Published: 31 Jan 2008
Improved waste management
is already contributing to lower greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions, according to a new
EEA study launched today at the international
conference on waste and climate change in
London.
The EEA briefing, available
in 26 languages, explains how better processing
of municipal waste will continue to reduce
emissions from this sector, while calling
for greater attention to increasing volumes
across Europe. The study projects a significant
decrease by 2020 in net greenhouse gas emissions
from municipal waste, with a reduction of
more than 80 % (down to 10 million tones)
compared to the late 1980s. The reduction
will be driven by greater recycling volumes,
increased amounts of waste recovery and
incineration combined with energy production.
Europe’s success in diverting waste away
from landfill is also considered a key factor
bringing down emissions.
Municipal waste, however,
is set to grow by 25 % from 2005 to 2020.
The EEA warns that increasing waste amounts
could lead to saturation and increase GHG
emissions due to inefficient management.
Keeping municipal waste
to the minimum remains the preferred action
for reinforcing past and future improvements
in waste treatment. Decreasing current amounts
could turn this sector into a sink, reducing
total net GHG emissions. Restricting waste
volumes delivers both immediate and long-term
benefits to citizens, including reduced
air pollution (with particles and nitrogen
oxides) and less noise from collection and
transport.
In 2005 emissions from
waste management represented 2 % of EU's
total GHG output. Methane, one of the six
greenhouse gases controlled by the Kyoto
protocol, is mostly generated by landfill
operations in the waste sector. Landfill
is considered the worst option for disposal,
with harmful effects on the environment
and health. Incineration, on the other hand,
could contribute positively if combined
with high rates of energy recovery and strict
emission controls, while recycling remains
one of the priorities for waste management.
These conclusions are
the result of an integrated analysis addressing,
for the first time, the effects of municipal
waste management on the net emissions of
GHGs across Europe. The EEA and the European
Topic Centre for Resource and Waste Management
have used an EU-wide economic model for
projecting waste volumes to 2020, combining
analysis of recycling, incineration and
landfill management with relevant legislation
and life-cycle information for calculating
GHG emissions. The EEA analysis aims to
provide useful information in view of the
current revision of the EU Waste Framework
Directive.
