Resource Use, Waste & Chemicals

Over recent years, the Institute has built up a significant portfolio of projects related to EU waste legislation and policy, helping us to develop our expertise in this area. Our work includes assessing the effectiveness and coherence of existing waste policy and legislation, analysing the implementation of EU waste legislation by the Member States, and projects to investigate the social and political context of waste generation. We have also made, and continue to make, significant contributions to thinking on the future direction of EU waste policy through a number of projects with the European Commission.

Key work in this area:

Review of the EU Waste Thematic Strategy
We are leading this study to assist the Commission in the review of the Thematic Strategy on the Prevention and Recycling of Waste. The study will provide supporting information and analysis for the review, assessing progress on implementation of the Strategy’s actions, steps taken towards creating a European ‘recycling society’, and the international influence of the EU in the waste arena. The study may recommend additional future measures to achieve the aims of the Strategy. The latest information on the project can be found at: www.eu-smr.eu/tswpr/

Construction and demolition waste in the EU
We are partners in this study which aims to specify requirements resulting from EU waste legislation regarding construction and demolition (C&D) waste by establishing operational definitions of crucial concepts, performing a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the status quo of C&D waste, and establishing a scenario for 2014. The latest information on the project can be found at: www.eu-smr.eu/cdw/

Plastic waste in the EU
IEEP is a partner in this study which aims to gather and analyse available data and information on plastics and plastic waste, current management options, and the related environmental and health risks. The latest information on the project can be found at: www.eu-smr.eu/plasticw/

Implementation of EU waste legislation
This project prepared the background analysis for the official European Commission report on the implementation of seven EC Waste Directives during the period 2004-06. The analysis draws mainly on official government reports and includes a concise summary on the implementation of Directives in every Member State, highlighting areas of deficiency and success. IEEP drafted the relevant reports on the Landfill, Packaging and Packaging Waste, and Sewage Sludge Directives. The reports prepared under the project can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/reporting/report04_06.htm

Coherence of EU waste legislation
We led this major study for DG Environment in 2008 which focused in particular on the coherence of the EU recycling Directives. This included analysing terminology, common issues between the Directives, the scope of the Directives, provisions for review and comitology, and an analysis of overlaps and gaps in the coverage of the Directives.

Practicability and enforceability of the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) recast proposal
We led this project for IMPEL, European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law, drafting a report summarising and analysing information from IMPEL members on the practicability and enforceability issues arising from the proposal for a recast of the WEEE Directive.

Waste shipment inspection requirements
IEEP led this study for DG Environment on the inspection requirements for waste shipments leaving the EU. This involved the preparation of case studies on the situation in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK, and the development of recommendations or criteria for inspections.