Sustainable waste management: what the EU is doing
Every year 2.1 billion tonnes of waste are generated in the EU. The amount of waste and the way it is managed varies a lot across EU countries, but there has been a shift to more recycling and less landfilling.
To reduce waste and its impact on the environment, the EU has adopted ambitious targets on recycling and landfill and is working on packaging waste. The goal is to promote the shift towards a more sustainable model known as the circular economy.
Waste management practices across the EU
Waste management practices vary between EU countries. The EU wants to promote the prevention of waste and the re-use of products as much as possible. If this is not possible, it prefers recycling (including composting), followed by using waste to generate energy. The most harmful option for the environment and people’s health is simply disposing of waste, for example in a landfill, although it is also one of the cheapest possibilities. Even though the waste generated per capita has increased, the way we manage waste has improved – with more recycling and composting and a decrease in landfill.
