The Flemish Waste Policy:From Landfilling to Ecodesign

Jan Verheyen

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Who is OVAM?

Founded in 1981: Public Waste Agency of Flanders

Today - staff: ca.400

Public institution headed by the Flemish Minister for the Environment

Based in Mechelen

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What is our mission?

OVAM wants to contribute to a better

environment and quality of life. We accomplish

this by:

Ensuring sustainable management of waste and materials

Preventing soil contamination and ensuring soil remediation (Soil decree 1996)

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What was our Philosophy?

Option 2: Re-use, recycling and composting of waste material

Option 3: Incineration of waste with energy recovery

Option 1: Prevent and reduce – waste production– harmful waste materials

Best option

Option 4: Final disposal of waste on the landfill siteWorst option

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Evolution of Household Waste

2008: 3.378.759 tons or 545 kg/inhabitant

2.429.370 tons or 392 kg/inhabitant (72%) is collected separately and re-used, recycled or composted

949.389 tons or 153 kg/inhabitant (28%) residual waste of which: 842.509 tons (25%) incinerated with

energy recovery 71.026 tons (2%) processed at

mechanical-biological treatment facility

35.854 (only 1%!) is disposed on a landfill-site

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Evolution of Industrial Waste

Conditioning: 49% Use as secundary raw

material: 22% Recycling: 18% Incineration: 5 % Landfilling: 6%

27047

29249 28975

26912

28876

36317

34687

33536

20000

22000

24000

26000

28000

30000

32000

34000

36000

38000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Industrial Waste in Flanders (Ktons/year)

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Policy Instruments

The implementation of the waste policy and strategy requires the use of three different types of policy instruments

legal instruments (e.g. legislation, penalties, producers responsibility, voluntary agreement, etc …) economical instruments (e.g. levies, taxes, financial support, PAYT tax, etc …) social instruments (e.g. information and awareness raising campaigns, education programs at schools, etc …)

The challenge is to find the most appropriate instrument or mix of policy instruments to achieve the targets

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Policy Instruments (2)

Environmental levies on landfilling and incineration of waste (economic instrument)

Landfill and incineration bans (legal instrument)

Take-back obligations, based on the principle of producer responsibility and polluter pays principle (legal instrument)

Methodical approach to the waste problem trough drafting waste management plans (legal instrument)

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A few examples of how people discard waste ...

VFG + Green

+ +Kerbside collection

+

Residual waste

PMD

Bring sites, recycling yards & stores

Home composting

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New understandings lead to new objectives...

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Our Goals for a Sustainable Waste & Material Management

Closing material loops as efficient as possible (Waste is a precious resource!)

Eco-efficient production Innovation & Ecodesign Focus on industrial waste Stimulate ‘Green Consumption’

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Closed Material Loops

Sectoral agreements Gypsum recycling agreement (°2009) Specifications for selective demolition of industrial

buildings (°2009)

Gypsum Recycling Unit

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Eco-Efficiency Scan

“There’s money hidden in your company”

Environmental investments create ecological & economical benefits!

1.000 SME’s Results

Energy: -8 % Water: -4 % Waste: stable but increased turnover Average investment: 62.783 euro Return on investment after 4,8 years

www.ovam.be/eco-efficientiescan

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Stimulate ‘Green Consumption’

“Look at the price tag from a different angle”

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Innovation and Ecodesign

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Ecolizer 2.0

Thank you very much for your attention!