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Study highlights savings from solid waste recycling

The European Union could save up to 144 million tonnes of CO2 per year through EU-wide recycling targets for municipal solid waste (msw), according to a new study.

The research undertaken by German consultancy Oekopol, the Institute for Environmental Strategies, found that the current level of msw recycling (37 per cent on average) savesd some 160 million tonnes of CO2 every year. The minimum target across the EU is 50 per cent.

The consultancy said if every member state reached at least that figure by 2020 then CO2 emission savings would improve by 88 million tonnes.

And if all member states reached the current maximum achieved by the Netherlands (65 per cent) by 2020, an additional 144 million tonnes of CO2 would be saved.

The study is based on known lifecycle assessments and 2005 Eurostat waste statistics.

A final version of the 'CO2 emission saving potential of EU recycling targets will be published at a waste and climate change conference in London on January 31st.

The conference is organised by the Association of Cities and Regions for Recycling and Sustainable Resource Management (ACRexternal).

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