Contribution of European waste management industry to greenhouse gas reduction Alexander Wallisch Taskforce Greenhouse gas FEAD

Why talking about Greenhouse gases (GHG) ? EVIDENT temperature rise by 0.6°C over last 100 years evident thermal expansion and glacier melting increased risk of flooding increasing extreme events desertification consequences for agricultural production, industry and for tourism CONCLUSION:  Strong need for stabilising greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere

Solution – woldwide self obligation of nations Self obligation to reduce GHG Emissions under Kyoto Protocol EU -8% 2008 – 2012 compared to 1990  Burden sharing agreement  Different strategies all over Europe  EU Emissions trading system (EU-ETS) as one common strategy

Solution – woldwide self obligation of nations Leads to discussions on further measurements to achieve the reduction

EU 15 GHG trend in waste sector

EU ETS and WASTE MANAGEMENT EU ETS is already reality since 2005 WASTE sector not included so far 2 Questions to be answered by FEAD DOES THE EU-ETS HAVE INCENTIVES TO INCLUDE WASTE MANAGEMENT? OR DOES THE WASTE MANAGEMENT HAS INCENTIVES TO BE INCLUDED IN EU ETS?

General statement Waste management generates greenhouse gases. waste contains biomass (CO2 neutral) next to fossile based C which is to be considered! Wide range of recovery/disposal/handling of waste with different possibilities and advantages a level playing field between the waste management ways of treatment is maintained CONCLUSION:  waste management industry is to be considered and treated as a whole.

1. EU ETS needs waste management? The LETS report provides a list of criteria assessing whether a sector should not be included into the EU ETS: 1.The sector is regulated under other regimes. 2.The sector already contributes significantly to CO2 emission reductions (more than 5%). 3.The sector does not allow an exact monitoring of emissions (uncertainty more than 12,5%). 4.Are technologies to reduce emissions available?

Is the sector regulated under other regimes? IPPC directive Waste incineration directive Landfill directive Different additional national regulations (emission thresholds) Savings from landfill directive for the EU million tonnes CO2- equivalents due to reduced methane from landfill sites. CONCLUSION:  Inclusion would not strengthen reduction of GHG

Sector contributes to CO2 emission reductions? Waste sector contributes with around 3% to the overall emissions in the EU-25 Source: EEA

Sector contributes to CO2 emission reductions? The projected emissions reduction will be 52% in 2010 with the existing measures compared to a reduction of 53% with additional measures Source: EEA

Exact monitoring of GHG (uncertainty > 12,5%)? Not in all facilities possible Especially where CO2 emissions are not main part of GHG emissions (for example landfills) Most facilities would encounter high monitoring costs for a low impact on emissions reduction Very limited influence on input – input influences emissions CONCLUSION:  Lack of inputs control makes it difficult to make planned emission reductions at the facility. And it is in some facilities difficult to monitor the emissions.

Are technologies to reduce emissions available? reduction potentials in the waste sector are significant reduction of air pollutants often contradictory to reduction of GHG

Are technologies to reduce emissions available? BUT! Reduction due to strategic options and are therefore not influenced by the ETS scheme

WASTE MANAGEMENT WANTS TO BE INCLUDED? EU ETS is allocating solely to the facility BUT facilities mostly offsett indirect emissions from alternative sources ETS delivers the wrong incentives - Landfill Directive leads to more CO2 in waste incineration, MBT’s, SRF-using plants  the balance will be that more GHG are saved  ETS is not counting this advantage

WASTE MANAGEMENT INCLUDED IN EU ETS? In most cases NO incentive through EU – ETS!!

CONCLUSION Waste management is not inside EU ETS and this is due: There is already significant contribution to climate protection There is stringent environmental legislation There are difficulties in monitoring The reduction possibilities are not inside the facilities Inclusion in EU ETS = no further reduction of emissions

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