Citation:
I.G. Husaini, A. Garg, K.H. Kim, J. Marchant, S.J.T. Pollard and R. Smith, European household waste management schemes: Their effectiveness and applicability in England, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Volume 51, Issue 1, July 2007, Pages 248-263.
Abstract:
This paper reviews European household waste management schemes and provides an
insight into their effectiveness in reducing or diverting household waste. The
paper also considers the feasibility of replicating such schemes in England.
Selected case studies include those implemented using variable charging schemes,
direct regulation and household incentivisation (reduced disposal charges). A
total of 15 case studies were selected from developed countries in the EU where
some schemes have operated for more than a decade. Criteria for assessing the
effectiveness and replicability of schemes were developed using scheme progress
towards targets, response time, compatibility with government policy, ease of
administration and operation, and public acceptance as attributes. The study
demonstrates the capability of these schemes to significantly reduce household
waste and suggests changes to allow their possible adoption in England. One of
the main barriers to their adoption is the Environmental Protection Act, 1990
that prevents English local authorities (LAs) from implementing the variable
charging method for household waste management. This barrier could be removed
through a change in legislation. The need to derive consistent data and
standardise the method of measuring the effectiveness of schemes is also
highlighted.
