Survey finds eastern states unlikely to meet 2020 recycling targets

A survey of waste management firms in Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, presented recently at a conference in Helsinki, has found that these countries are at risk of missing recycling targets for household and construction waste set in the revised waste framework directive. According to EU law, half of combined glass, paper, metal and plastic waste from "households or other origins" – and 70% of construction waste – should be recycled by 2020.

A representative from Austria-based waste association VOEB, who helped conduct the survey, explained how the growth of new landfills was a problem in eastern Europe, with some countries even receiving EU cohesion funding to build sites that are not needed. Since landfill fees generate income, some municipalities are reluctant to build recycling plants. He argued that EU funds should be in line with the waste hierarchy which prioritises recycling over landfilling.

The conference discussed poor implementation of waste legislation, and an official from the Commission said that the EU will shortly publish a new study on the establishment of a waste implementation agency. This will urge greater coordination between stakeholders at all levels.

For more information and a programme of the conference, please click here.