A new report on the analysis of official EU data on packaging shows that over the past 11 years the amount of packaging waste going to final disposal in EU-15 has fallen by 43%. Higher recycling levels and other forms of packaging waste recovery are largely the reasons says EUROPEN, the European Organisation for Packaging and the Environment.

In 2008 in the EU 27 member states just over 17 million tonnes of packaging were sent for final disposal. To put this into context, it is estimated that 89 million tonnes of food are currently wasted in the EU 27, more than five times the amount of packaging waste.

The analysis of data from 1998 to 2008 by EUROPEN also shows that in EU-15 growth in packaging waste is clearly decoupling from growth in GDP, an objective of the EU waste strategy. In the 11 year period studied, despite an ageing population and a trend throughout Europe towards smaller households (all of which led to the purchase of a greater number of packaged goods) the amount of packaging placed on the market (excluding wood packaging) rose by only 10% and the amount of packaging waste disposed of (also excluding wood) actually fell by 43%.

The report ‘Packaging and Packaging Waste Statistics in Europe 1998-2008’ contradicts widely held perceptions that packaging has led to a mountain of waste across Europe.  Instead, it confirms an earlier EU Commission assessment of the EU Thematic Strategy on Waste Prevention and Recycling which showed that packaging waste from households and commercial sources accounts for only about three per cent of total waste.

“The data supports our view that the 1994 Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste is clearly one of the most successful pieces of EU environmental legislation, something in which all participants can take pride. This is particularly true for consumers who, across the EU, are increasingly accepting the sorting of packaging in their homes for recycling as a routine activity,” comments EUROPEN managing director, Julian Carroll.

The EU Directive set a 2008 recycling target of 55% to be reached by 12 member states with the remainder including the newer member states to reach the same target between 2011 and 2015.  By 2008 three of the remainder had passed the 55% target and most others were approaching or already beyond a 50% recycling rate.

EUROPEN members, which are major companies producing consumer goods, packaging and packaging materials, are all stepping up their efforts to address packaging related sustainability issues individually and collectively in partnership with public initiatives such as the EU Sustainable Consumption and Production Action Plan.

With barbecues and salad days fast approaching Stop Food Waste is reminding the public that 50% of the lettuce we buy ends up in the bin. While a head of lettuce may seem cheap at around under €1 you can see how quickly this amount of waste can add up in euros over time.

The Stop Food Waste programme is funded under the EPA National Waste Prevention Programme (NWPP). Waste Prevention is the preferred waste management option in Ireland.

Odile Le Bolloch, spokesperson for Stop Food Waste at the EPA, advises lettuce lovers: “When you buy lettuce, make sure to take it out of its bag and wash it as soon as possible. Spin the lettuce in a salad spinner to dry off the washing water and store it in the fridge in the salad spinner. Leave a small amount of water in the bottom of the spinner and top up if needed. This keeps the lettuce fresh, it lasts longer and you have a supply of washed lettuce to use during the week.

“Another mistake people sometimes make is to cut the stalk off the lettuce with a metal knife. This can cause the lettuce to get those brown edges people hate so instead simply break off the leaves as you need them.”

Stop Food Waste also points out that growing your own lettuce and other greens not only gives you a greater appreciation for it, because you have grown and nurtured it yourself, but it also means that you take as much as you want as you need it. “You don’t need that much space to grow a few heads of lettuce, rocket or herbs – a well drained window box works great where space is limited,” says Odile Le Bolloch. “Start the window box indoors and once the first few sprouts start to show you can put it outside on a sunny sill. Make sure you keep it watered – though in Irish summers this is usually not a problem!”

The European Commission has published a report on Member States’ performance in the prevention and recycling of waste. This shows that some Member States have made excellent progress, but that we are still some way from achieving the long-term goal of becoming a ‘recycling society’ – one that not only avoids producing waste but also uses it as a resource.

The report shows that in most Member States overall waste generation seems to be increasing (or at best stabilising) but at a lower rate than economic growth. Over the last ten years municipal waste generation has stabilised at around 524 kg per year per person, although household consumption has increased by around 16% during the same period. More could be done, therefore, to reduce the absolute generation of waste. For example, 25% of food bought by EU households is thrown away. Some 60% of this waste could be avoided, saving each household around €500 per year.

There are huge differences between Member States. Recycling rates vary from a few percent up to 70%. In some Member States landfilling has virtually disappeared, in others more than 90% of waste is still buried in the ground. This shows a significant margin for progress beyond the current EU minimum collection and recycling targets.

The introduction of a combination of economic and legal instruments used by the best performing Member States should be encouraged, including landfill bans and applying the producer responsibility concept to additional waste streams across the EU. More consistency between product design and waste policies is needed to further boost recycling. As meeting ambitious recycling and prevention targets requires the participation of society as a whole, the report insists on continuous efforts to improve stakeholder participation and raise public awareness.

Waste still represents about 20% of all environmental infringement cases. As recent events in Hungary and Italy have shown, full implementation of waste legislation is vital to protect the environment and human health.

The new Waste Framework Directive, which should have been transposed by 12 December 2010, has still not passed into national law in many EU countries. Member States had a transitional period of two years to put the necessary measures in place to comply with the new Directive. However, only a small number have so far informed the Commission of the transposition of the legislation. The Commission is monitoring the situation closely and, if necessary, will take action against those failing to implement the Directive.

The new Directive modernises and simplifies our approach to waste policy around the concept of ‘life cycle thinking’. The Directive introduces a binding waste hierarchy defining the order of priority for treating waste. Top of the list is waste prevention, followed by re-use, recycling and other recovery operations, with disposal such as landfill used only as the last resort. The Directive obliges Member States to modernise their waste management plans and to set up waste prevention programmes by 2013. They must also recycle 50% of their municipal waste and 70% of construction and demolition waste by 2020.

The Commission will continue to monitor the implementation and enforcement of waste legislation at national level, including the requirements of the new Waste Framework Directive. But it will also seek to develop support for Member States in designing appropriate strategies and policies upstream. To further consolidate its waste policies, the Commission will make further proposals in 2012 including setting out the concrete steps it will take in order to move closer towards an EU resource-efficient recycling society.

The second European Week for Waste Reduction runs from 20th to 28th November 2010. The idea of the European Week for Waste Reduction is to raise awareness about the waste reduction strategies of EU and Member States, and to encourage behaviour changes to promote more sustainable consumption and production.

Thirty organising authorities across 16 different EU Member States are taking part. In Ireland, over 46 different events are planned all around the country aimed at the general public as well as business and other organisations. These events are designed to highlight the ongoing work being done on waste prevention and resource efficiency in the areas of waste, water and energy.

The following prevention partner organisations have been involved in developing the events: Repak/EPA Packaging Prevention Programme, Green Hospitality Programme, Clean Technology Centre, An Taisce Green Home/Schools, NUI Galway and Green Business along with local authorities in Kilkenny, Carlow, Monaghan, Galway, Cork, Limerick, Clare and Kerry.

Over 46 different events are planned throughout the week at different locations around the country many of which are open to the general public. These range from the release of the 6th Report of the National Waste Prevention Programme by the EPA, to business seminars and public information events in a wide variety of locations. National and local radio advertising is being used to raise awareness in conjunction with regional newspapers. A website at www.ewwr.ie has been set up to provide details of the different events around the country.

In Ireland, the European Week for Waste Reduction is co-ordinated by the EPA-led National Waste Prevention Programme. The European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR) is part of a three year project supported by the Life+ Programme of the European Commission.

Ten organisations which have taken effective steps towards protecting the environment, such as a dry cleaner only using 100% recycled hangers and an international retailer rolling out an environmentally-conscious cartoon superhero, were recognised at the recent annual EnviroCom Awards in Dublin.

Hosted by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Development Board, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Chamber, the organisers paid tribute to the simple, yet effective measures taken by the ten category winners over the past year.

Crisp Dry Cleaning and Laundry Services in Dalkey, which only uses 100% recycled hangers and has significantly reduced its water consumption levels, won the Special Merit Award in the under ten employees category. The ‘Energy Management’ award went to Marks & Spencer in Dundrum Town Centre, which invented ‘Captain Energy’ to help communicate its environmental ‘Plan A’, the implementation of which, led to an impressive Eur220,000 worth of savings.

The Bank of Ireland IT and Operations Centre in Cabinteely was awarded the ‘Waste Prevention’ category and the ‘Water Conservation’ prize went to Jones Lang La Salle. The ‘Energy Awareness’ prize was won by Microsoft in Leopardstown; the ‘Engaging Communities in An Environmental Project’ in the ‘fewer than 50 employees’ category received the Global Action Plan and the ‘over 50 employees’ award went to 3M in Carrickmines.

The Applegreen service station in Stillorgan was presented with the ‘Environmental Performance in the Retail/Service Sector’ award whilst the Radisson Blu St. Helen’s Hotel won the same prize in the ‘Tourism/Hospitality’ sector. Finally, the ‘Environmental Innovation’ prize was awarded to Blackrock Education Centre.

Now in its fourth year, the EnviroCom categories are supported by the Enviromental Protection Agency, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, Health Services Executive, Failte Ireland and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Enterprise Board.