We are all well acquainted with the importance of waste management in our everyday life. Accumulated waste has many health and environmental risks for our environment and ecosystems. According to a recent estimate, manufacturing and construction companies in the EU and its member states have been generating over a million tonnes of waste like bottles, garbage and other toxic materials every year. Nonetheless, even the residential sector has been producing waste that accumulates to the sum up to 3 billion tonnes of garbage made up of various plastic, glass and ceramic materials.
This waste production has an extreme impact on the environment. While everyone is debating the waste policy and regulations, EU legislators have been working tirelessly to reduce the environmental and health hazards associated with responsible waste management. With the increase in the amount of waste, there have been changes in the very nature of the waste also. This is because of the increasing use of modern materials that includes plastics and other toxic substances that take time to degrade.
Landfills:
Over the past 25 years, EU waste policy makers have raised the standards and have come up with detailed environmental action plans, following the recent UK independence referendum there is great hope that the UK government will keep these regulations or at very least build upon them. There has also been a waste framework directive that aims to lower the negative impacts of waste on our environment. All these steps are necessary to create an energy efficient and environmentally friendly economy. The European Union Legislation has also noted and attempted to mitigate the risks in the oldest waste treatment methods like Landfill and incineration. The legislation has made efforts to reason check the methods, by making the environmental authorities responsible for conducting inspections and issuing permits. Due to these strict actions, many sub-standard landfills sites in the UK have experienced closure and there has been a massive decline in the amount of waste sent to landfill since 1995.
Energy Production:
Researchers have proven that waste can be used as a cost-effective fuel. However, incomplete burning of the waste can cause irreversible damage to the environment leading to severe health problems. Therefore, the EU has been monitoring the values of the incineration and co-incineration plants. In this process, the UK has also been encouraged to apply the life-cycle thinking that aims to significantly benefit the environment. Due to this, the energy produced via this method has seen a two fold increased since 1995.
National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (UK):
One of the most successful waste strategies started by the European Union and adopted by the UK was the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme. According to this program, a collaborated market was created that included two parties. One that produced the waste and other who use it. Soon, there were major industries contributing to this practice, turning the pastry waste into electricity and fatty acids into biodiesel. As a result, there was an accumulated total of €3 billion added to the UK economy.
Recycling:
Recycling is the best way to manage waste materials like plastic, glass, ceramic and other products that are of no more use. Moreover, it helps to reduce the quantity of waste that is disposed of to landfill. This practice has greatly affected the industrial sector as Europe is highly dependent on imports for their raw material but, with recycling, EU industries have managed to generate essential products and raw materials from the recycled waste, at a much reduced cost. In addition to this, the procedure has also helped saving energy.
All in all, over the past few years’ fantastic results have been achieved in the UK in regards to responsible waste management. We all have a part to play in this complete process. The amount of waste is still increasing on a daily basis, signalling the common audience to manage the resources in a much more responsible way.
Steps like recycling can be practiced more often as it would increase the supply of raw material to the United Kingdom. By reducing unnecessary waste or recycling most of it, we can contribute our share to the protection of the environment.
A small step from each sector makes all the difference as it can help the environment and the people living in it. Householders can work towards minimising the amount of rubbish and send it to be recycled into new raw materials. The EU member states can continue to follow the life-cycle thinking to meet the targets set by the legislation. Lastly, it is the responsibility of the EU to support its states with resources, so that they can adhere to the legislation and make the world a better place for us all.
This waste production has an extreme impact on the environment. While everyone is debating the waste policy and regulations, EU legislators have been working tirelessly to reduce the environmental and health hazards associated with responsible waste management. With the increase in the amount of waste, there have been changes in the very nature of the waste also. This is because of the increasing use of modern materials that includes plastics and other toxic substances that take time to degrade.
Landfills:
Over the past 25 years, EU waste policy makers have raised the standards and have come up with detailed environmental action plans, following the recent UK independence referendum there is great hope that the UK government will keep these regulations or at very least build upon them. There has also been a waste framework directive that aims to lower the negative impacts of waste on our environment. All these steps are necessary to create an energy efficient and environmentally friendly economy. The European Union Legislation has also noted and attempted to mitigate the risks in the oldest waste treatment methods like Landfill and incineration. The legislation has made efforts to reason check the methods, by making the environmental authorities responsible for conducting inspections and issuing permits. Due to these strict actions, many sub-standard landfills sites in the UK have experienced closure and there has been a massive decline in the amount of waste sent to landfill since 1995.
Energy Production:
Researchers have proven that waste can be used as a cost-effective fuel. However, incomplete burning of the waste can cause irreversible damage to the environment leading to severe health problems. Therefore, the EU has been monitoring the values of the incineration and co-incineration plants. In this process, the UK has also been encouraged to apply the life-cycle thinking that aims to significantly benefit the environment. Due to this, the energy produced via this method has seen a two fold increased since 1995.
National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (UK):
One of the most successful waste strategies started by the European Union and adopted by the UK was the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme. According to this program, a collaborated market was created that included two parties. One that produced the waste and other who use it. Soon, there were major industries contributing to this practice, turning the pastry waste into electricity and fatty acids into biodiesel. As a result, there was an accumulated total of €3 billion added to the UK economy.
Recycling:
Recycling is the best way to manage waste materials like plastic, glass, ceramic and other products that are of no more use. Moreover, it helps to reduce the quantity of waste that is disposed of to landfill. This practice has greatly affected the industrial sector as Europe is highly dependent on imports for their raw material but, with recycling, EU industries have managed to generate essential products and raw materials from the recycled waste, at a much reduced cost. In addition to this, the procedure has also helped saving energy.
All in all, over the past few years’ fantastic results have been achieved in the UK in regards to responsible waste management. We all have a part to play in this complete process. The amount of waste is still increasing on a daily basis, signalling the common audience to manage the resources in a much more responsible way.
Steps like recycling can be practiced more often as it would increase the supply of raw material to the United Kingdom. By reducing unnecessary waste or recycling most of it, we can contribute our share to the protection of the environment.
A small step from each sector makes all the difference as it can help the environment and the people living in it. Householders can work towards minimising the amount of rubbish and send it to be recycled into new raw materials. The EU member states can continue to follow the life-cycle thinking to meet the targets set by the legislation. Lastly, it is the responsibility of the EU to support its states with resources, so that they can adhere to the legislation and make the world a better place for us all.