Uncontrolled landfills, excessive littering and an increasing share of electronic waste pose a threat to human health and the environment. To address these problems, the EU has established a waste hierarchy which prioritises the management and treatment of waste. The prevention of unnecessary waste production and the utilization of waste as a source of energy rank at the top of the list. Willing to complement the EU's efforts to improve waste management practices within the Union, the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) promotes cooperation between the EU and its Eastern and Southern neighbours. To support the effort, the European Commission has issued a guide to environmentally sound waste management for its European neighbours and Russia.
Drafted by Ecologic Fellow Alexander Neubauer, the guide outlines a wide range of benefits deriving from compliance with EU waste policies like the EC Regulation on Waste Shipment. However, the socio-economic gains associated with these successes will not materialise unless the main challenges to convergence, such as inadequate waste management systems, are overcome. To achieve this goal, the guide serves as a roadmap toward sound waste management.
The guide is the results of Ecologic's project Environmental Components of the European Neighbourhood Policy.
The guide can be downloaded in four languages:
This guide on waste policy is part of a series of short convergence guides for ENP Partners and Russia published by the European Commission. Their purpose is to help EU neighbours realise the benefits associated with ENP Action Plans.
The following guides have been published in this series:
