A report covering the European Commission’s DG Environment’s assessment of separate collection schemes in the 28 capitals of the EU, has recommended, among other measures, obligatory source segregated collection of biowaste.

The study was led by the Copenhagen Resource Institute and German consultancy BiPRO and assessed the legislation and practice of separate collection systems for waste across the 28 EU member states.

The study focused on the legal framework and practical implementation of separate collection systems for metal, plastic, glass, paper and biowaste, assessing each of the national frameworks in place across the EU-28, as well as analysing systems applied in EU-28 capital cities.

The report is to be presented in Brussels on Friday (29 January), with speeches by Kęstutis Sadauskas, Director of the Green Economy Directorate at the Directorate-General for Environment and Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for the Environment Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, as well as seminars on the systems of several cities highlighted in the report.

Implementation of mandatory separate collection of biowaste was one of the recommendations carried by the report, alongside the need for clear definitions on what is meant by ‘separate collection’ and ‘high-quality standards’  in national legislation, wise investment in MBT (but only in connection with the introduction of separate collection systems, and reconsidering the necessity of investment in incinerations, and instead using the money to invest in separate collection infrastructure and campaigns.

The full report can be found in the report section of the BBIA website.