Friends of the Earth: Campaigns: Waste: Press for change: Ask Joan Ruddock to support European waste targets

Ask Joan Ruddock to support European waste targets

How we handle our waste makes a big difference to the planet.

The EU is revising Europe’s main waste law, the Waste Framework Directive.

Friends of the Earth wants the law to include:

New recycling targets and measures.
Target to prevent waste.
No promotion of incineration.

In February the European Parliament backed our demands when they voted on proposed changes to the law.

But at the Environment Council's vote in June, Environment Ministers did not even try to reach agreement on recycling and prevention targets.

We must now put pressure on the UK government to support these European targets in the 2nd reading stage of the revision process. This will maximise the chance that we get them into the final law.

Please ask Joan Ruddock, the Minister responsible for waste, to adopt these climate-friendly approaches in the UK’s negotiations in Europe.

Email Joan Ruddock MP

Dear Minister,

Suggested letter below (but you may alter it)
Congratulations on your new ministerial position. I believe that in your new post, you have an opportunity to help make the European Union an 'Environmental Union' by increasing our resource efficiency and by minimising our climate impacts. One key element of this new approach must be a transformation in how we address waste in Europe, moving away from disposal and towards prevention, reuse and recycling. In your new role as Minister you will be involved in making decisions on the UK's position in European Union negotiations on a revised Waste Framework Directive. Research has shown that recycling and waste prevention are very beneficial in climate terms. I am therefore asking you to ensure that we maximise recycling and waste prevention through: 1) Supporting measures at a European level to promote recycling, including a target for every country to recycle a minimum of 50% of municipal waste and 70% of industrial, construction and demolition waste by 2020. 2) Prioritising waste prevention, including supporting a target for every EU country to stabilise waste production at 2008 levels by 2012. 3) Endorsing the European Parliament's rejection of the proposal to re-brand so-called 'efficient' incinerators. Incineration is a climate problem, emitting fossil-fuel derived CO2, not a climate solution. I firmly believe that this policy process is an important part of greening the EU economy and ensuring that the EU is really an 'Environmental Union', providing a model to the rest of the world. Please inform me how you intend to deal with these important issues.

Yours sincerely,

Name:

Email address:

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Menu: April 2008
Content: July 2007