Ways and entanglements of the waste hierarchy

摘要

European waste policy has undergone tremendous changes within the last years. Waste management has evolved into resource management not least because of the Waste Framework Directive (WFD) 2008/98/EC. Current policy does not aim to treat waste streams but rather place in the foreground of interest the complete supply chain of a product from cradle to grave. Thus a priority order, the so-called waste hierarchy, has been introduced. Waste prevention and re-use do have highest priority and take affect before the end-of-life phase of a product or a material is reached. Recycling takes the third place whereas recovery and disposal represent the least favorable options.