19-21 July Environment Informal

Date: 25/07/1996

ENVIRONMENT ministers held a wide-ranging debate on waste management policy, just as the Commission is putting the finishing touches to its latest strategy document. They called for more transparent and effective waste planning and better information on the sources of waste. Acknowledging that the information base on waste management in the Union was inadequate, ministers called for better data collection both at national and EU-wide level.

POINTING out that effective waste management was a crucial test of sustainability, as set out in the Maastricht Treaty, the meeting stressed that it had to be seen primarily as an environmental concern. Underlining the current hierarchy, ministers agreed that the basic priorities remain valid, “but may now need to be supplemented”.

MINISTERS stressed that key waste management targets were not on course to be met. These include the stabilisation of municipal waste generation by the year 2000 at 1985 levels, attaining an average 50&percent; reuse/recycling of paper, glass and plastics and creating markets for recycled materials. The meeting heard that per capita generation of municipal waste rose by 18&percent; from 1985 to 1992 and the stabilisation target may be exceeded by 30&percent; by 2000.

THERE was a call for more effective waste prevention mechanisms to be put in place, and for the concept of eco-efficiency to be promoted in business circles. To assist efforts to ensure that products are more environmentally friendly throughout their life cycle, ministers called for work to be encouraged within EU research programmes and for better implementation of the eco-labelling scheme.

IN order to improve industry-led waste recovery schemes, Council asked for thought to be given to national or Union measures to encourage more adequate and stable markets for recyclables. “Public procurement-based initiatives and incentives for sourcing a minimum quota of raw materials from recyclables merit consideration in this regard,” they said. Ministers suggested that better pricing of waste would make it more viable as a secondary raw material. Measures such as landfill taxes and levies “may have wider relevance and application”.

UNDERLINING the need to recognise producer responsibility as a principle of EU waste policy, ministers nevertheless stressed that this would have to be handled on a case-by-case basis, after consultations with all operators likely to be affected.

MINISTERS also stressed that the potential for industrial innovation in the waste sector could make it an important future generator of jobs.