Background Report on Best Environmental Management Practice in the Waste Management Sector Preparatory findings to support the development of an EMAS Sectoral Reference Document Report for the European Commission's Joint Research Centre May 2016 Best Environmental Management Practice in the Waste Management Sector Prepared by BZL Kommunikation und Projektsteuerung GmbH Dr. Barbara Zeschmar-Lahl Dr. Harald Schoenberger E3 Environmental Consultants Ltd. Dr. David Styles Dr. Jose-Luis Galvez-Martos Editors European Commission – Joint Research Centre Paolo Canfora Marco Dri Ioannis Antonopoulos Pierre Gaudillat This report was developed under contract with the European Commission, Joint Research Centre. The information and views set out in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the Commission. The Commission does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this study. Neither the Commission nor any person acting on the Commission’s behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein. © European Union, May 2016 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. More information on the European Union is available on the internet (http://europa.eu). May 2016 2 Best Environmental Management Practice in the Waste Management Sector Index Index ....................................................................................................................................................... 3 List of Abbreviations ....................................................................................................................... 6 PREFACE ................................................................................................................................................ 9 Role and purpose of this document ............................................................................................... 12 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................. 13 Target group ........................................................................................................................................... 13 Scope ......................................................................................................................................................... 13 Information sources ............................................................................................................................. 13 Structure of the document ................................................................................................................ 13 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................. 15 RESUME ................................................................................................................................................ 16 Cible ........................................................................................................................................................... 16 Objectif ..................................................................................................................................................... 16 Sources d’information ......................................................................................................................... 16 Structure du document ....................................................................................................................... 16 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................. 18 1. General information about the waste management sector, its environmental relevance and EMAS implementation in the sector ....................... 19 1.1. General information about the waste management sector ...................................... 19 1.1.1. Waste policy ........................................................................................................................ 24 1.1.2. Structure of the sector .................................................................................................... 27 1.2. Scope of the document ........................................................................................................... 33 1.2.1. Target group ....................................................................................................................... 34 1.2.2. Waste management activities ...................................................................................... 34 1.2.3. Waste streams ................................................................................................................... 37 1.3. Main environmental aspects and environmental relevance of the waste management sector ............................................................................................................................. 57 1.3.1. Direct environmental impacts ...................................................................................... 61 1.3.2. Indirect environmental impacts................................................................................... 66 1.4. Environmental impacts of key activities within the waste management sector 71 1.4.1. Collection and transport ................................................................................................. 71 1.4.2. Landfill ................................................................................................................................... 71 1.4.3. Incineration ......................................................................................................................... 73 1.4.4. Organic waste recycling ................................................................................................. 75 1.4.5. Waste sorting and product disassembly .................................................................. 79 May 2016 3 Best Environmental Management Practice in the Waste Management Sector 1.4.6. Material recycling ............................................................................................................... 81 1.4.7. Product re-use .................................................................................................................... 83 1.5. EMAS implementation in the waste sector ...................................................................... 85 Reference literature .............................................................................................................................. 88 2. Cross-cutting issues ............................................................................................................... 93 2.1. Scope ............................................................................................................................................. 93 2.2. Techniques Portfolio ................................................................................................................. 93 2.3. Best Environmental Management Practices for Integrated Waste Management Strategies ................................................................................................................................................. 94 2.4. Life cycle assessment of waste management options ............................................... 109 2.5. Economic instruments ........................................................................................................... 122 3. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) ......................................................................................... 140 3.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 140 3.2. Environmental burden ........................................................................................................... 140 3.3. Best practice portfolio ............................................................................................................ 141 3.4. Reference literature ................................................................................................................ 142 3.5. Best Environmental Management Practice on Strategies for Municipal Solid Waste ....................................................................................................................................................... 143 3.5.1. Cost benchmarking ......................................................................................................... 143 3.5.2. Waste monitoring ............................................................................................................ 150 3.5.3. Pay-As-You-Throw ........................................................................................................... 156 3.5.4. Awareness raising ........................................................................................................... 170 3.5.5. Municipal waste advisors – practical work, qualification, role, impact ....... 185 3.6. Enabling Techniques on Strategies for MSW ................................................................ 189 3.6.1. Performance-based waste management contracting ........................................ 189 3.7. BEMPs on Waste Prevention ................................................................................................ 197 3.7.1. Local waste prevention