Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Ta b l e 5 . 3
MSW Recycling and Disposal in Selected European Countries (in %)
Country
Landfilling
Incineration Composting Recycling Unknown
Denmark (1999)
11
50
14
25
0
Netherlands (1999)
12
41
23
24
0
Austria (1999)
25
11
40
24
0
Belgium (1998)
27
21
15
37
0
Sweden (1998)
33
35
8
25
0
France (1998)
58
27
6
8
0
Spain (1999)
64
9
11
16
0
Finland (1997)
64
3
3
30
0
Italy (1997)
78
6
9
7
0
United Kingdom (1999)
81
8
2
9
0
Portugal (1999)
82
8
5
4
0
Greece (1997)
91
0
0
8
1
Source: Environmental Signals 2002, European Environment Agency (rounded to nearest whole percent-
age), Version 1, October 2003
2005/2006 (EFRA 2007). The average annual MSW increase in England was 1.5
percent from 2000/2001 to 2004/2005. Out of this, 25.7 million tonnes (about
86 percent) was from households alone. England has the capacity to engage in
more recycling and composting of MSW (Curran et al. 2007). The EU Landfill
Directive (1999/31/EC) requires a progressive reduction in biodegradable MSW
to 75 percent of the 1995 disposal level by 2010 and 35 percent reduction by
2020. Various solid waste management schemes have been adopted in EU. These
include the pay-per-bag scheme in Belgium and Italy, weight-based charging
scheme in Denmark and Sweden, weight- and volume-based system in Germany
and Luxemburg (Eunomia 2002, 2003); plastic bag environmental levy in Ire-
land (Dungan 2003), and other MSW management schemes (INFORM 2005,
Green Alliance 2002). An empirical analysis of the effects of unit-based pricing
of household waste for The Netherlands found that the weight- and bag-based
pricing systems perform far better than the frequency- and volume-based pricing
systems (Dijkgraaf and Gradus 2004).
European Council Directive (91/156/EC) urges the European member states
to take appropriate measures to encourage the prevention and the reduction of
waste production and its harmfulness (Gellynck and Verhelst 2007). It promotes
the recovery of waste by means of recycling, reuse or reclamation, or any other
process with a view to extracting secondary raw materials or the use of waste as
an energy source.
What would induce a household to generate or throw away less waste (source
reduction)? The answer hinges on at least two elements: the incentive built into
the unit-pricing structure for waste collection and disposal, and the availability
of convenient (and legal) alternatives such as recycling and yard waste collection
or composting programs.
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