What is waste reduction?
Waste reduction involves the first two legal concepts of the new waste framework directive: “waste prevention” and “preparing for reuse” (as defined below).
In keeping with this hierarchy, the European Week for Waste Reduction aims to raise awareness more specifically on the act of preventing the production of waste, that is to say, everything that can and should be done to prevent throwing an item away, so as to reduce the amount of waste that is submitted for collection and to reduce the harmfulness of the waste generated.
So, the best waste is that which is not produced!
Waste reduction can therefore be defined as the complete range of measures and actions taken up before a substance, material or product becomes waste. These measures aim to reduce:
- the quantity of waste produced, including through the intermediary process of reuse or by lengthening the lifespan of products
- the harmful effects of waste produced and treated, both on the environment and on human health
- the content of harmful substances in materials and in products
Preparing for reuse refers to checking, cleaning or repairing recovery operations, by which products or components of products that would have become waste are prepared so that they can be re-used without any other pre-processing. Preparing for re-use therefore implies changes in practices; both in terms of consumer purchasing habits and in terms of the manufacturing process.
Reducing the quantity of waste produced implies taking action at the different stages of the product life cycle: product design, production, distribution, consumption and end of life. This could mean a change of input materials, use of a different type of technology, change in design, alternative operating practices, changes to the product, introduction of refill or reuse systems, miniaturisation….
More information: Waste: Revision of the Framework Directive
