Flanders Waste Management Plan Example for SE European

Countries

Dr. S. HelsenZagreb25/11/2010

Situation of Flanders

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North Belgium

Pop. 6 million

Area 13.600 km²

# Municip. 308

Need for Waste Management Plan

1970’s poorly managed landfills pollution

1980’s competences from national to regional level re-organisation of Assoc. of Municipalities

1981 waste management and soil remediation competences centralised Public Waste Agency

Flemish Waste Decree based on : prevention, reuse, recycling, incineration, disposal

Five Waste Management (Implementation) Plans since 1986

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First WMP (1986-1990):Making order out of chaos

Closing and redeveloping landfills

Maximum use of existing incineration capacity and separate collection of municipal waste

Cost depositing at landfill and incineration raised

First step towards waste prevention and recovery

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Necessary policy instruments + infrastructure forsegregation at source

Separate door-to-door collection of municipal wastestreams and recovery

Network of recycling yards

Infrastructure for collection and processing of VFGand green waste

Focused on waste minimisation and recovery

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Second WMP (1991-1995):Built on previous success

Partnership with non-profit organisation

Recoverable materials from bulky waste

Prevention /reuse through composting (home/industrial)

Development reuse centres network

Waste prevention public awareness

Incineration: construction postponed, capacityreduced, optimisation with energy recovery systems

Landfill deposits further reduced

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Third WMP (1997- 2001):Targets to reduce residual Waste

Main goal consolidate results and ensure progress Implementation, acceleration, intensification of plan Effective instruments adopted to achieve wide-range of objectives

Aim: achieving sustainable development and permanent management of materials

Covering entire material chain: production of materials, goods and products to treatment of household waste

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Fourth WMP (2003- 2007):Evaluation of Previous Plan

Objective 1 Environmentally responsible consumption habits Buy and use environmental friendly products Government stimulates and sends message to adapt behavioural consumption to fit new practices

Objective 2 Reduction of residual waste production without affecting the quantities of materials consumed

Objective 3 Final waste treatment: BATNEEC

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Fifth WMP (2008- 2015):3 Target objectives

Objectives of 5th WMP aim at:

1.Minimum waste produced2.Re-introduction of waste in material chain recycling3.Disposal of materials in environmentally friendly way

Action programmes:

1.Prevention, lowered consumption and re-use2.Selective collection and recycling3.Final treatment

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Results:Residual waste reduction

Targets continuouslyevaluated and updated

Targets achieved faster;e.g. target for 2006:

3rd WMP 220 kg/head4th WMP 160 kg/head

Proposed long-termtarget :150 kg/head

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Incineration and bio-mechanical pre-treatment of household waste

ObjectiveSeparate collectionWMP 2003 – 2007

66 % in 2000

69 % in 2008

ObjectiveCessation landfilling

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Waste disposal levies vs quantitiesof landfilled waste 1990-2008

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Waste-to-Energy

CH4 and electricity production, Flemish landfills 1990-2006

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Energy production from incineration of household waste

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Waste Implementation plans: key to success

Impressive results in reduction, reuse, etc., since 2007 70 % of household waste collected separately less than 3% deposited in landfill

WMP goals achieved

Legislation focus : prevention and recovery of waste(decrees amended)

WMP targets for 2003-2007 and 2008-2015have been met or likely to be met

Discussion

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Mix of policy measures

Regulation modifications / adaptations (obligatory) Voluntary agreements Market-based instruments Population communication and initiatives Agreements, consensus-based policy preferred

Interesting policy outcomes

Population acceptance, willingness to segregate andcompost waste

Waste management and littering high in political agenda

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Implementation Plan for 5 years - key measure

Comprises provisions for all public authorities All relevant parties involved in process Contribution with suggestions

relationship between waste targets and agreements with municipalities happens naturally

Legal instruments

Uncontrolled landfill and incineration prohibitions Methodical approach to waste problems Waste approach based on producer responsibility (take back obligations) and polluter-pays principle High landfill tax: incentive to recover & recycle waste

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Intermunicipal co-operation recommended

Municipalities controlling and financing waste services:

Fixed (yearly) tax & cash tax (Pay-As-You-Throw) Reduction of residual waste Development of recycling infrastructure network (ca. 350 yards), incl. composting activities, etc. Public Private Partnerships (contracting, participation, concessions)

Total cost: 220 € / household (2.4 persons)

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Recycling contributes to saving natural resources :Aluminium, steel, PET plastic, glass, cardboard,…

Recycling saves energy:Recycled steel requires up to 85% less energy, etc.

Reducing energy consumption reduces CO2In 2008 ca. 680,000 t household waste recycled in BE 850,000 t of CO2 emissions avoided

Sorting = reflex !95% of Belgians sort their wasteAwareness raising can never stop (schools, firms, ... )

Sorting and recycling natural resources and energy savings

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Waste chain managed as one :from "cradle to grave" or from “cradle to cradle“

Waste management linked to sustainable materialmanagement (worldwide evolution)

Depletion of resources and environmental pressurefrom material reduced

Challenge : providing sustainable materialmanagement policy whilst having a growing economy,production and consumption on a global scale

From waste management to sustainable material management

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Collecting, sortingand recycling:growing economic sector

Recycling sector employs 2,500 people in BE

Waste management offers 8,000 jobs in Flanders

Recycling market stable Crisis not affected trends in quantity of household packaging put on market

Waste management:new economic sector

Impressive waste management system,one of the best in EU

Final disposal in landfills almost ceased / landfill mining!

Packaging waste largely recycled or reused

Incineration for heat or energy recovery

Innovative techniques for better waste treatment

Municipalities responsible for implementation ofwaste policies & organised through intermunicipalcooperations and PPP constructions

Conclusions: 25 years ofWaste Management in Flanders

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In Flanders: “There is no such thing as waste”

Export of experience and knowhow to SE European countries, based on lessons learnt

Advice and technical assistance Innovation and technologies Legal instruments Economical instruments Social instruments

Challenge: most appropriate instrument or mix of instruments to achieve targets

Setting the example

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