Waste-related policies: NGO views Doreen Fedrigo Policy Officer Natural Resources, Products and Waste European Environmental Bureau (EEB) European Environmental Bureau Bureau Européen de l’Environnement

EEB Created in 1974 with the purpose to represent its members’ interests vis-à-vis the EU institutions  the largest European federation of environmental citizens’ organisations  More than 145 member organisations in 31 countries with more than 15 million members and supporters  Our aim is to protect and improve the environment of Europe and to enable the citizens of Europe to play their role in achieving this goal  Our mission is to promote strong environmental policies and sustainable development on the EU level and beyond Integrate environmental concerns into other policy areas Provide a focal point for its members to monitor and respond to EU policies Provide services to its members through information, representation vis-à-vis EU institutions and coordination of campaigns European Environmental Bureau Bureau Européen de l’Environnement

EEB main activity areas Topical policy work – Air Pollution, Agriculture, Biodiversity, Chemicals, Industry Policy, Nanotechnology, Natural Resources, Soils, Urban Environment, Water, Waste, 6 th Environmental Action Programme (6EAP) and Thematic Strategies, etc. Sustainable Development Strategy Governance (democratisation and public participation) - Aarhus Convention, Environmental Policy Integration Enlargement and South East Europe,The Future of Europe (Constitution) (EU Treaties in the past) Europe in the Wider World (Aarhus, MEDA, NGO Forum etc.) Enforcement (= implementation and application of the EU legislation) My dossiers are natural resources – products – waste: we see waste sitting at the end of a chain of production and consumption, not as an isolated area of policy European Environmental Bureau Bureau Européen de l’Environnement

EEB approach to ‘waste’ waste comes at the end of a complex chain of production and consumption activities end-of-life approaches are too late – the ‘problem’ has been created, the negative impact made focus on natural resource use, product design and try to incorporate ‘behaviour’ such as supply chains, distribution systems general ratio of waste : product is 10 : 1 and production : product is 20 : 1 therefore ‘waste’ is a bigger term than solid waste, and is a bigger ‘problem’ than appears (it’s not just what we see in our garbage bins) European Environmental Bureau Bureau Européen de l’Environnement

EEB’s 10-point plan ‘Towards a Low Waste Europe’, produced in A resource-efficient Europe (thematic strategy on sustainable resource use) 2.Further work on the waste definition – a quality approach for waste material streams 3.Refining the waste hierarchy 4.Waste policy targets as complementary driver for innovation 5.Waste prevention: making it a priority in practice 6.Complementing a waste stream with a material stream-related approach 7.Applying producer responsibility to other product groups 8.Promoting recycling 9.Harmonising pollution prevention control for disposal and recovery operations 10.The Commission should lead the process rather than only facilitate it European Environmental Bureau Bureau Européen de l’Environnement

EEB’s position on WFD (+) the 5-step waste hierarchy as the guiding principal and rule for waste management regulation and planning waste prevention strengthened through a common definition, EU targets, development of indicators, and continued development of a producer responsibility approach link to the European Recycling Society – targets, a priority for material recycling over recovery, producer responsibility and implementing legislation for some material streams no pro-incineration strategy – not reclassifying incineration as recovery, excluding reuseable/recyclable/ compostable materials from incineration minimising waste transport – proximity, self-sufficiency European Environmental Bureau Bureau Européen de l’Environnement

Sustainable Consumption and Production Natural resources – products – waste WFD, WSR, Thematic Strategies (natural resources and waste prevention and recycling), WID, IPPC European Environmental Bureau Bureau Européen de l’Environnement

Natural Resources Approach for an EU resource policy: three fronts at once 1.A general target: driving in the right direction 2.Developing specific targets; steering resource policy on priority biotic and abiotic resources a. Potential specific targets for all crucial biotic resources meeting sustainable management criteria b. Specific targets for 20 priority materials (choice based on streams and impacts) 3.Sustainable production and consumption approach based on functions and needs The Government framework: selecting some useful tools: Legislation Knowledge creation Financial stimulation and economic steering Work mainly with the frontrunners European Environmental Bureau Bureau Européen de l’Environnement

Products (1) Product policy objectives should include: Increasing the market shares for innovative products and services. Economic and fiscal incentives and third party certified ecolabel’s play a key role here. Aiming to provide comprehensive environmental lifecycle information on products Formulation of mandatory minimum requirements for the worst performing products Base the orientation of IPP clearly on the paradigm shift from production of products towards the innovation of products or services or even entire systems that most sustainably meet the relevant needs. IPP should therefore have a function or need orientated approach European Environmental Bureau Bureau Européen de l’Environnement

Products (2) Concrete political projects on IPP in 2004/2005: 1.Organising the Commission’s work on IPP: legislative framework setting up a Steering Committee on IPP and specialised working groups on individual tools 2.Quality, comparability and availability of product lifecycle data through general obligations on product manufacturers 3.Reinforce policy links and use of targets for vision-setting and orientation 4.Economic tools need to be developed and given a central role in policy objective delivery 5.Extending producer responsibility principle from the waste and use phases to the lifecycle - general producer responsibility on environmentally sound products 6.Creating resources for IPP. Information means money and people 7.Consumer information 8.Leadership in the promotion of GPP through obligatory plans for all member states European Environmental Bureau Bureau Européen de l’Environnement

Contact Doreen Fedrigo Policy Officer Natural Resources, Products and Waste European Environmental Bureau Waterloolaan, Brussel Tel: Web: European Environmental Bureau Bureau Européen de l’Environnement