Revised EU Directive will force UK to recycle 50% of household waste by 2020

22 October 2008

The revised waste framework Directive, adopted by the EU council of ministers this week, means the UK must recycle 50% of its household waste by 2020.

The Directive is aimed at encouraging reuse and recycling of waste, as well as simplifying current legislation. Member states are now required to transpose the Directive into national law within two years.

The Directive lays down a five-step hierarchy of waste-management options which must be applied by member states when developing their national waste policies: waste prevention – preferred option; reuse; recycling; recovery – including energy recovery; and safe disposal, as a last resort. Member states must also recycle 70% of their construction and demolition waste by 2020.

Tina Benfield, senior technical officer at the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management, welcomed the change, but was disappointed commercial and industrial waste wasn’t included in the Directive. She said the 50% recycling target was achievable, but much depended on how the Government ‘interprets the text’ regarding green waste.

‘It will be more of a risk if green waste isn’t included,’ she added. ‘The Directive doesn’t include it – but its doesn’t explicitly exclude it either.’ Benfield was confident that some councils would end up with recycling rates of up to 65%, which would bring up the national average.

But the County Surveyors’ Society warned that only a minority of councils with waste disposal responsibilities expected to be able to achieve the target. ‘Significant investment is also needed to meet these challenging targets,’ said Julia Barrett, chair of the CSS waste panel.

‘CSS will continue to lobby the Government for more financial support for local authorities. This is needed both to help deliver the infrastructure and also increase the resources available to support waste services budgets in the face of the escalating costs, such as the Government’s own landfill tax.’

Register now for full access

Register just once to get unrestricted, real-time coverage of the issues and challenges facing UK transport and highways engineers.

Full website content includes the latest news, exclusive commentary from leading industry figures and detailed topical analysis of the highways, transportation, environment and place-shaping sectors. Use the link below to register your details for full, free access.

Already a registered? Login