TitleSub-title

PLACE PARTNER’S LOGO HERE European Commission

Enterprise and Industry

Project BEBBBetter Environment – Better Business

LOGO HERE

Waste prevention – innovative methods and goal practises

• In the EU community 2 000 million tonnes of waste, and of this 40 million tonnes are classed as hazardous, is generated every year.

• Waste prevention includes strict avoidance of waste generation and reducing the hazardous content of waste. It also includes reuse of waste.

• Reduce of waste production is one of the best indicators of how we succeed in achieving sustainable development.

• Our current production and consumption must be adjusted so that the pressure on the earth's non-renewable resources are diminished.

Waste prevention | September | 2013

Waste growth in the EU must reverse

Waste prevention, the most efficient option in approaching this goal, this can contribute to:

• reduction of environmental impacts induced by waste management, e.g. greenhouse gas emissions reductions, methane released from landfill sites in particular, as well as carbon dioxide from incineration

• improved resource efficiency through energy savings and reduced material use

• minimizing the production of hazardous waste and therefore improved conditions for public health

Prevention

Prevention is closely linked to improving manufacturing methods.One of the tools is eco-design, which focuses on environmental aspects during the design phase of a product.

Prevention is also linked to consumers so that they demand greener products and less packaging.

A holistic view on waste prevention

Green manufacture of products

Eco design

Waste managementBusiness marketingand efficiency

Legislation

Eco labelsCarbon footprints CO2 reduction

Greater consumerawareness and greenconsumption

Lower ecological impact with methods like LCA

Green procurement

Greater resourceefficiency

Eco design examples

• Mixer tap that saves energy consumption and waste since it is completely recyclable.

• Solar driven lights in the streets and in public places with poles of recycled plastic

• Smart clothing from pet bottles, 100 % polyester

Policies with relevance to waste prevention

European Commission’s Communication on Integrated Product Policy IPPIntegrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive IPPCEco Management and Audit Scheme EMAS EU EcolabelEcodesign DirectiveRegulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals REACHEnvironmental Technologies Action Plan EATP Sustainable Consumption and Production and Sustainable Industrial Policy SCP/SIPEuropean Commission’s Communication on Green Public Procurement GPP

• Projects, European Week for Waste Reduction, Pre Waste

• Programs, gathering and exchange of good practices. Regions 4 Recycling

• App: left2cook to help prepare a good meal with those ingredients you have at home

• Web sites: publishing fact sheets and good examples

• Events: RECO presentation on innovative approaches to prevent waste in Baltic countries

• Conferences: Beyond Waste Prevention towards Circular Economy Projects,

Efforts being made

Week for waste reduction•actions during a single week, across Europe•raise awareness about waste prevention •addressed to public authorities, project developers, and citizens •uses a range of communication tools that can reach various stakeholders

Actions taken place in SwedenCompetition between schools in several municipalities to reduce food waste at school meals. Thousands of students will be involved. Waste is measured in the beginning and in the end of the week. Winner is the school who succeed with the best food waste reduction.

Reduced waste of food exampel from the county of Västernorrland

It started with an ISO 14001 certification

The campaign focused on teaching staff to order the right portion size to the patients for them to recover more quickly, but also to reduce the amount of food that came back from the wards. Success was that they actually found out how much waste that was generated and the savings they could make.

A number of positive effects

Reducing food waste by 47%Saves money Healthy patientsAbbreviated patient timesIncreased knowledge of nutritionGood feeling and prideActive environmental work

Reducing food waste has many benefits

Food production has a great impact on ecosystems and generates much wastebiodiversity nutrient and pesticides climate gasestropical forests

In the processing stagewasteenergypackaging

The hierarchy of food waste

To take advantage of the nutrients and energy in food waste it must be collected separately and there must be a functioning collection system.

Disposal of organic matter gives emission of methane, leaks nutrients and hazardous substances

Anette FischerHjelteig Consulting ABE-mail: konsult.miljo@gmail.com