Vital Waste Graphics

WASTE MANAGEMENT

The priority now is to decrease the amount of waste we gener- ate. That means changing our consumption patterns, for exam- ple by choosing products that use recyclable material, market fresh produce instead of canned food, less packaging and eas- ily recyclable containers (for example glass instead of plastic). It also means recycling – sorting, collecting, processing and reus- ing materials that would otherwise be handled as wastes. Many organizations are now engaged in education campaigns, and they seem to be working – in the last two decades, the amount of material being recycled in rich countries has grown dramatically. Most of it is paper, followed by glass, metals, alu- minium, plastic, and organic waste.

The economy of recycling Recycling activities are economically important. Collection, sorting and re- processing represent job opportunities (especially in the paper recycling sector). They also lower energy and municipal waste disposal costs. Recycling and repro- cessing are growth indus- tries, which also support some downstream sectors like the steel industry. It is difficult to quantify, be- cause of a lack of data, but the informal recycling sector in developing countries is known to be economically important.

Packaging production and recycling

Kg per person

selected European countries

250

Ireland

Netherlands

Quantities generated Recycled

Germany

France

Luxemburg

Italy

200

European Union (15)

Denmark

Belgium

United Kingdom Spain

Austria

150

Portugal

Finland

Sweden

Greece

100

50

0

Source: EEA, 2001.

% of apparent consumption

United States

Finland

Germany

Japan

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 0

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 0

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 0

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 0

1980

1985 1990 1995

2000

1980

1985 1990 1995

2000

1980

1985 1990 1995

2000

1980

1985 1990 1995

2000

Source: OECD, 2002.