Friends of the Earth welcomed a vote in the European Parliament today (13 February) which backed waste prevention and recycling as the key elements for dealing with waste in Europe. The environmental group also congratulated MEPs for rejecting a misguided proposal to re-brand incineration which would have led to an increase in the burning of waste across Europe.

Dr Michael Warhurst, Waste and Resources Campaigner for Friends of the Earth, said:

"We are delighted that MEPs have supported European targets for recycling and waste prevention. This move will help Europe's economy become more resource efficient and reduce our impacts on climate change. National governments must now follow Parliament's lead and support these measures."

We also welcome the fact that Parliament has rejected the Commission's ill advised plan to re-brand - and so promote - incineration. We hope that the UK Government, in its forthcoming waste strategy, ensures that there is not an expansion of incineration in England by stopping recyclable and compostable waste from being sent to incinerators and landfill."

The European Parliament voted for each Member State to recycle 50 percent of municipal waste and 70 percent of industrial, manufacturing, construction and demolition waste by 2020. It also voted for Governments to set up separate collection of key recyclable materials, and for the European Commission to propose a Directive on Biowaste (kitchen and garden waste) by June 2008.

In addition, Parliament voted that EU countries should stabilise their waste production by 2012, challenging the out-dated idea that we must always produce more and more waste.

Notes

More information is available in a new policy briefing, available at:
www.foeeurope.org/publications/2007/FoEE_EEB_WasteBrief_Feb07.pdf (PDF)

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