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MEPs vote to cut waste mountain MEPs vote to cut waste mountain
(about 3 hours later)
Members of the European Parliament have voted for binding targets to reduce the amount of waste produced in the EU.Members of the European Parliament have voted for binding targets to reduce the amount of waste produced in the EU.
The parliament said production of waste should be stabilised at 2008 levels by 2012, and scaled back by 2020.The parliament said production of waste should be stabilised at 2008 levels by 2012, and scaled back by 2020.
MEPs also said 50% of municipal waste and 70% of industrial waste should be recycled by the same 2020 deadline MEPs also said 50% of municipal waste and 70% of industrial waste should be recycled by the same 2020 deadline.
Each EU citizen produces more than 500kg of waste per year, with recycling rates varying from below 10% to above 50% in some countries.Each EU citizen produces more than 500kg of waste per year, with recycling rates varying from below 10% to above 50% in some countries.
Member states are expected to fight the parliament's proposals, but MEPs say the vote at least allows an important debate to begin.Member states are expected to fight the parliament's proposals, but MEPs say the vote at least allows an important debate to begin.
Incineration disputeIncineration dispute
The European Parliament vote came as MEPs gave a first reading to a revised version of the EU's Waste Framework Directive, first adopted in 1975. "We are going to work very hard to sell it to the member states," said British MEP Caroline Jackson, who is guiding the legislation through the parliament.
"This is what our voters expect - they expect to be told not to produce so much waste."
The vote came as MEPs gave a first reading to a revised version of the EU's Waste Framework Directive, first adopted in 1975.
The European Commission, which put forward the revised directive in 2005, does not favour binding limits on waste production.The European Commission, which put forward the revised directive in 2005, does not favour binding limits on waste production.
MEPs also rejected the Commission's proposal to allow incineration of waste to be classified as "recovery" rather than "disposal" when the incinerator is used to produce energy. MEPs also modified the commission's proposal to allow incineration of waste to be classified as "recovery" rather than "disposal" when the incinerator is an efficient source of energy.
Environmental group Friends of the Earth - whose activists protested outside the parliament with a giant placard saying "Stop the waste, vote recycling" - says incineration wastes materials that could be re-used, and produces greenhouse gas emissions. They accepted the principle that incineration could count as recovery, but did not define how energy-efficient the process needed to be in order to qualify.
"We should be aiming to burn or bury nothing that could be re-used, recycled or composted," aid Michael Warhurst, Waste and Resources Campaigner at Friends of the Earth Europe. Environmental pressure group Friends of the Earth and the Green Party claimed victory, saying that the parliament had rejected the "re-branding" of incineration as recovery, but Caroline Jackson said the result was ambiguous.
However, other experts say incinerating waste to produce energy reduces consumption of fossil fuels and prevents the waste being sent to landfill, where it may produce methane - a greenhouse gas 21 times more powerful than CO2. Opponents of incineration say that it wastes materials that can be re-used, and creates greenhouse gases.
The German EU presidency aims to get EU member states to agree a common position on the revised directive before the end of June. Advocates say it would apply to materials that cannot be recycled, would result in the consumption of less fossil fuel, and prevent waste going to landfill sites where it produces methane - a very powerful greenhouse gas.
Waste hierarchy
The German EU presidency aims to get EU member states to adopt a position on the revised directive before the end of June.
If, as expected, governments reject binding waste prevention and recycling targets, the two sides will attempt to reach a compromise in a process known as conciliation.If, as expected, governments reject binding waste prevention and recycling targets, the two sides will attempt to reach a compromise in a process known as conciliation.
Caroline Jackson said the recycling targets might be "unrealistic" but they provided something to aim at.
However, she said there were signals that the member states may accept another amendment introduced by the parliament, proposing a five-stage waste hierarchy.
This ranks waste treatment in the following order, from best to worst:
  • Prevention and reduction of waste
  • Re-use of waste
  • Recycling of waste
  • Other recovery operations
  • Safe and environmentally sound disposal
Caroline Jackson said this did not impose firm obligations on member states, but would establish a "general rule or guiding principle" which could shape the next 50 years of waste management.