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.
