Waste Prevention

Waste Prevention – An Introduction
Principles
Process Oriented Waste Prevention
Product Oriented Waste Prevention
Services
Consumer Oriented Waste Prevention
Barriers Opposing Waste Prevention
Instruments
Method of Selecting a Robust Waste Prevention Strategy
Literature
Selected links

1. Waste Prevention – An Introduction

Basic principles of waste management are to

reduce environmental and health impacts and
to save resources

Waste prevention is one priority matter of waste management policies

Definition and Objectives

According to European waste legislation, waste prevention means measures aiming at the reduction of the quantity and the harmfulness for the environment of diverse waste streams.

More explicit the objectives of waste prevention are:

Emission reduction
Reduction of hazardous substances in material streams and of their dissipation
Improvement of resource efficiency.

Priority waste types

Consequently waste streams to be addressed by waste prevention are:

Waste streams with big mass flows
Hazardous waste streams
Waste streams containing scarce substances

Design Principles

When designing waste prevention initiatives following guiding principles should be considered:

Sustainability
Eco-efficiency and eco-sufficiency
Precautionary principle
principle of cooperation and participation
Polluter-pays-principle
Producer responsibility
Life cycle and system thinking
Principles of true costs, efficiency and minimal costs

Waste Prevention Techniques

In general waste prevention can be achieved either:

by reducing the demand to be met (immaterialisation)
by using less or less harmful material for meeting the demand (dematerialisation)

Usually a waste prevention techniques is related to a certain process, to a certain product, service or product service system or to a certain consumption behaviour.

Process related waste prevention comprises those techniques which reduce waste arisings during production by
- establishing internal cycles for auxiliary materials and production wastes
- substituting hazardous materials
- introducing more efficient technologies
Product related waste prevention comprises techniques which
- allow a repeated use of products or parts of the product
- extend product life and/or make products easier to repair or
- change the design of a product in a way that it contains less material or less harmful material
Service oriented waste prevention either replaces products by services for meeting the demand, or complements products with a service system in order to maintain the products in an efficient way.
Consumption related waste prevention comprise those techniques which effect the life style or the consumption behaviour.

Barriers

In the past years quite a number of waste prevention projects have been initiated, either by different levels of administration or by the industry itself. Nevertheless, waste prevention has not yet become an implicit principle, when designing products or production processes. The reason is that there are a number of barriers which have to be overcome first. These barriers may be categorized as:

Socio-economic barriers for the consumers
Socio-economic barriers for the producers
Economic barriers
Market barriers
Legal barriers
Technical barriers

Political Instruments to foster waste prevention

In order to overcome those barriers waste prevention may be supported and/or implemented by following types of instruments:

Information and motivation programs
Economic instruments
Bans, obligations, standards
Voluntary Agreements
Public procurement

A framework for these instruments is prepared by the Thematic Strategy on Waste Prevention and Recycling by the European Commission (COM(2005)666). Complementing this strategy a new Waste Frame Directive is proposed (COM(2005)667) asking the EU Member States to prepare Waste Prevention Programmes. These programmes shall contain objectives, measures and targets on what to achieve by these measures. Also a list of, primarily economic measures is given, from which Member States may select. For information about successful waste prevention initiatives of public authorities in Europe please visit the respective section in Wastebase.

The Vision – A fully integrated material flow economy

In order to activate its full potential waste prevention contributes to efficiency improvements in all parts of the economy and helps to form a fully integrated material flow economy as depicted in figure 1.

Figure 1: Scheme of a closed circuit material flow economy

2. Principles

Sustainability

'Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs' (WCED 1987 Brundlandtreport)
'Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) is a holistic approach to minimizing negative environmental impacts from the production-consumption systems in society. SCP aims to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of products, services, and investments so that the needs of society are met without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet their needs'. (Norwegian Ministry of the Environment, Oslo Symposium 1994).

Eco-efficiency

The needs shall be met at minimal resource consumption and minimal environmental impact.

Eco-sufficiency

Also the needs (the lifestyle and the consumer demand) shall be addressed in order to achieve a sustainable system. Only “sustainable” needs shall be met.

Precautionary principle

The precautionary principle is to apply when there is scientifically justifiable reason for concern that considerable risks for the environment and/or human health might be involved.

Principle of cooperation and participation

These principles ask for a fair involvement of all interested and affected social forces in the decision making process.

Polluter-pays-principle

The person, who is responsible for a certain environmental stress, must cover the costs for preventing and removing this stress and attached environmental damage.

Producer responsibility

The producer of a product shall cover the environmental costs caused by this product during production, utilisation, reuse and final disposal. This principle shall give an incentive for developing environmentally sound product concepts.

Life cycle and system thinking

Waste prevention may be applied to every phase of a product’s or service’s life cycle. The effects usually are not restricted to the phase of application. Rather the whole life cycle influenced. Thus when designing a waste prevention programme it is necessary to consider not only the targeted phase of a product’s or service’s life cycle but the whole system providing a service. In many cases it is also advisable to look at immaterial aspects like information level, motivation, life-style, market concerns and financing.

Principles of true cost accounting, efficiency and minimal costs

When applying the principle of true cost accounting all macro economic costs are taken into account. Non-monetary-costs like cost of environmental impact, health effects, costs of consuming natural resources are considered as well as micro economic costs and all macro economic benefits (as negative costs). In accordance with the efficiency principle, a waste prevention measure is to undertake when its macro economic benefits exceed its macro economic costs. According to principle of minimal costs, those measures are to be implemented which lead to a system which meets the sustainable demand at minimum costs, considering all macro economic costs and benefits.

3. Process Oriented Waste Prevention

Input/output analyses, material flow analyses, ecological and economic evaluations as well as risk analyses can help to identify technical and organisational options to improve a certain process or to reduce the number of processes required to achieve a product.
Internal cycles for auxiliary materials and production wastes are introduced, hazardous substances are replaced and more efficient, innovative technologies are applied.
Innovative Technologies which may contribute to more efficient processes and thus to waste prevention comprise:
- Industrial biotechnology and new catalysts
- Improved separation processes
- New materials (like nanotechnology and multi-functional materials)
- Better process control

4. Product Oriented Waste Prevention

Eco-design principles are applied to achieve products which are causing smaller amounts of waste and less hazardous waste. These design principles are:

Life cycle thinking (all phases of the product’s life are considered and possibly optimised)
Thinking in systems and multi dimensions (also resource availability, noise, taste, odours, hazards etc. are considered)
Thinking in services first (do not start with designing a coffee machine but think of how to prepare good coffee (Melnitzky 2004)

The objective is to design and manufacture a product which excels in

longevity
repair ability
reusability
low material consumption
low consumption of operation auxiliaries
low contents of hazardous substances

Products which show the potential for meeting the requested demand while consuming little (rare) material are:

Information and communication technologies
Reusable products
Renewable materials and bioplastics

5. Services

Examples for services replacing or complementing products with waste prevention potential are:

Lending systems (e.g. for tools or paint)
Leasing, including maintenance e.g. for cars, apartments or computers
Car sharing
Home-healthcare with the objective to reduce the consumption of medicaments
Home delivery of bio food
Repair-, maintenance-, reuse-centres
Performance contracting (e.g. copy machines or energy)

The services sector plays also an important role when harmonising the production sector with the actual demand of the consumers.

6. Consumer Oriented Waste Prevention

Consumption patterns which can contribute to waste prevention are:

High value consumption, that is meeting the demand by eco-efficient products and services
Utilisation of left-over and secondary usage of goods and products
Correct dosage of operation materials, correct operation and maintenance
Purchase only of goods which are really needed
Utilisation of low material packaging or reusable packaging
Purchase of reusable goods
Increased demand for immaterial services as in culture, sports, education and wellness

A programme for changing the consumption behaviour towards low waste generation should consist of following 4 elements:

Enable (to provide the information and tools to consumers to enable them changing their behaviour)
Encourage (provide incentives for replacing inefficient by efficient behaviour)
Engage (consumers in communal processes)
Lead by example (I will, if you will) (Jackson 2005)

7. Barriers Opposing Waste Prevention

Socio-economic barriers for the consumers

Problems connected with waste are not big enough to bother
Lack of willingness to invest money, time and energy
There is no real interest
There is no vision for improvement
There is lack of information on

- Environmental damage and other problems caused by waste
- Possibilities to make a change
- Waste prevention techniques, processes, products and services

Socio-economic barriers for the producers

Lack of expert capacity and financial resources
Lack of trust in the quality of used reusable products
Lack of standards for reusable product

Economic barriers

Due to low waste disposal costs there is lack of incentive for waste prevention
The required rate of return for waste prevention projects is much higher as the rate of return expectation with investments in the core business of the enterprise
Investments are necessary first, potential profit comes later and is attached to a certain risk level
Development time for eco-designed products is longer as for products which it competes with
The person who is required to invest in waste prevention is not the person who would gain the benefits
Environmental costs and benefits are not internalised, thus from a micro economic point of view they do not count

Market barriers used products

Different information levels with potential buyers and sellers
Lack of incentive to disseminate experience of early buyers
Costs for getting the information and for concluding a non-standard contract
Market power (Johnstone 2005)

Legal barriers

Waste prevention may stay in conflict with other objective pursued by public administration. Thus legal restraints might impose a barrier on implementing waste prevention measures.

Technical barriers

Different technical requirements may limit waste prevention. Among these are:

Lack of space for establishing a material cycle within a plant
The waste prevention technology reduces product quality or increases emissions
The waste prevention technology is not yet mature

8. Instruments

Information and motivation programmes

Information programmes which aim at changing the life styles comprise:

Information aboutbr/> - availability of natural resources
- current consumption patterns and their consequences for the environment
- meeting the demand by immaterial services
actions to question lifestyles with excessive resource use
discussions on those factors which really contribute to an improved quality of life
education of children to responsible consumers

Information programmes which aim at changing consumption patterns inform about:

Eco-efficient products
Efficient utilisation of products
The replacement of products by services

Information programmes targeted towards the production and services sector inform about:

Waste prevention techniques and technologies
Effects of products and material flows
Legal frame conditions and funding
Efficient behaviour.

Economic instruments

Taxes and fees aim:

At internalising external costs and
at establishing the polluter-pays-principle

Subsidies and tax exemptions shall

provide incentives for producing macro economic benefits and
help to overcome market introduction barriers

Bans, obligations, standards

Standards, bans and obligations need to be applied when other instruments can not work efficiently. Obligations shall

induce environmentally friendly behaviour,
make the responsible person responsible (polluter-pays-principle) and
secure a level playing field for all market participants

Bans are required when hazardous substances need to be eliminated.

Voluntary agreements

Voluntary agreements usually are proposed by the industry or parts of it and commit the industry to achieve a certain target or to observe certain standards. This instrument is more market oriented than obligations and more flexible. However, the specified targets are not legally binding and free-riders may abuse the system.

Public procurement

In many countries the public sectors constitutes a considerable share of the market. Beneath this direct market power of the public sector, there is an additional effect of environmental sound public procurement: The state is acting as a good example for the average citizen. Furthermore, the public sector can be the decisive force for overcoming all barriers when preferring eco-designed products or efficient services.

9. Method of Selecting a Robust Waste Prevention Strategy

Waste prevention measures are targeted towards a singly process, one, several or all phases of a product/service life cycle (see figure 2). A measure can be the introduction of an efficient process, product, service, or consumer behaviour while applying waste prevention instruments. In most cases better results will be achieved by a package of mutually supportive waste prevention measures, which is by a waste prevention strategy. In most cases this strategy shall be effective for a number of years. Thus for selecting the “best” strategy it is necessary to take into account uncertainties of future developments.

Figure 2: Life cycle of a building and effect of waste prevention measure

Based on Life Cycle Assessment, Material Flow Analysis and Integrated Resource Planning following procedure for selecting a “robust” waste prevention strategy can be used under participation of decision makers, interested and affected parties and experts (see figure 3):

At the beginning of the planning process the task and the problems to be solved are defined. A first analysis identifies the core problem
In the next step the objectives are defined. For each objective at least one criterion on which to measure the achievement of the objective is defined
Then the system which shall be affected is described by defining its main processes and main material flows
The system is calibrated by inserting the material balance of the base year
When the waste prevention strategy shall be effective for several years, parameter which effect the future developments of the system are considered either as frame data (with a fixed development path), scenarios (with two distinct development paths) or as part of the waste prevention strategies to be compared
Then an appropriate method and appropriate computing tools are selected for performing the impact analysis. This is a simulation of the effects of the proposed waste prevention strategies on the future development of the system within the 2 defined scenarios
That waste preventions strategy is selected and recommended which best meets the objectives and their criteria in both scenarios
After having decided for a certain waste prevention strategy, its implementation is planned. Later on the actual effects are monitored and the strategy results are evaluated

Figure 3: Procedure for selecting a robust waste prevention strategy

10. Literature

European Commission (2005a): COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Taking sustainable use of resources forward: A Thematic Strategy on the prevention and recycling of waste. COM (2005)666, 21.12.2005.

European Commission (2005b): Proposal for a DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on waste. COM(2005)667, 21.12.2005.

Jackson, T. (2005): Motivating Sustainable Consumption - lessons from a review of evidence on consumer behaviour and behavioural change. Sustainable Development Commissions, Stirling, Großbritannien.

Johnstone, N. (2005): Improving Recycling Markets. OECD Working Group on Waste Prevention and Recycling, Paris. www.oecd.org/env/waste.

Melnitzky, St. (2004): Projekt 52: Eco Solutions – Neue Wege zu nachhaltigen Produkten und Dienstleistungen – Betriebliche Schulungen in Form einer Workshop-Reihe und begleitender Beratung. Kronos, Stenum, ARECon, Brainpool OEG, Wien. www.abfallvermeidungwien.at.

Norwegian Ministry of the Environment (1994): Brundtland, G.H.: Oslo Symposium on Sustainable Consumption. Oslo

WCED - World Commission on Environment and Development (1987): Our Common Future (Brundtland Report). Oxford University Press.

11. Selected links

This sections provides links to some of the best information resources on environmental management available via the Internet. Sites listed below provide detailed technical and policy developed guidance on matters ranging from strategic waste prevention to the enforcement of environmental compliance.

Prepared by the European IPPC Bureau, reference documents called BREF outline “best available techniques” applicable to individual industrial sectors. The BREF’s guide the relevant authorities, industrial operators, and the public in the determination of BAT-based permit conditions.
EnviroWise Programme is a UK government’s programme offering free, independent advice on practical ways to minimise waste and convert turnover into profit. It has published more than 70 best practice guides.
The Joint Service Pollution Prevention Technical Library is a user friendly on-line source for information on technologies and management practices that eliminate or reduce pollutants through equipment changes, use of new technologies, or application of best management practices.
OECD’s reference manual on Strategic Waste Prevention takes a life cycle approach to waste prevention, integrates a product-oriented perspective, and explores potential links of waste prevention policy to economy-wide material flows.
US EPA’s sector notebooks provide an overview of characteristics of more than thirty industrial sectors, the potential environmental impacts of their operations, and applicable pollution prevention opportunities.
This US Environmental Protection Agency site gives an excellent overview of the various pollution prevention projects and programs. It includes updated links to a wealth of technical and policy information on pollution prevention.
IMPEL is a European mechanism for the exchange of experience in the management of the environmental permitting process and enforcement between various agencies in the EU countries. The site includes many practical reports on best practice in compliance monitoring.
A Guidebook of Financial Tools: Paying for Sustainable Environmental Systems provides a good analysis of economic instruments and incentives for financing environmental projects, and includes concrete suggestions to seek financing of projects.
INFORM's Community Waste Prevention Toolkit is a resource to help community leaders and environmental organizations design and implement effective solid waste prevention programs in their towns and cities.
The Guide to Implementing Local Environmental Action Programs explores how LEAPs can be launched at the community level; describes how to assess environmental issues and set priorities; and how to implement selected actions and monitor and evaluate results.
The Environmental Practice @ Work provides environmental learning programs directly at the workplace. The information is very accessible and the education approach very practical, containing more than 750 screens of information.

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