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Europe and that includes de UK, is on the verge of another serious economic recession. Amongst many issues, reducing environmental burdens, creating new jobs and enhancing the resource base for the economy, are the ones that need special attention. That is when waste management and recycling comes into play offering a “win-win-win” opportunity to address these three issues.
Waste management and recycling can provide numerous alternatives to boost the economy of European countries. From 2004 to 2009 revenues from recycling grew fast and substantially with the turnover of seven main categories of recyclables doubling to more than €60 billion in the EU.
Towards the end of 2008, due to the economic downturn the turnover of recycling declined sharply but seems to have recovered its pace in the second half of 2009 and has been growing steady since.
The ever increasing demand for recyclables from booming Asian economies which help to push prices up and tougher EU waste directives are forcing EU nations to increase recycling levels year after year.
Recycling contributes to an economy in numerous ways, including enhancing resource efficiency, reducing environmental impacts from raw material extraction, generating jobs and business opportunities and ensuring secure supplies of essential resources.
A non-official report published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) revealed that recycling generates more jobs at higher income rates than jobs in landfills and incinerating waste plants. Overall employment related to the recycling of materials in European countries increased by 45 % between 2000 and 2007.
The report, entitled ‘Earnings, jobs and innovation: the role of recycling in a green economy’ also shows what EU decision makers should do to increase recycling in the EU and thereby help Europe move close the so called “green economy. These opportunities are:
• Support demand for recyclables in industry within and outside the EU;
• Ensuring that recyclable material is separated from waste for disposal and the quality of recyclables is improved because this increases the value of the recyclable waste material;
• Improve product design to facilitate material separation;
• Integrate the recycling of rare and precious metals into the existing recycling infrastructure, developing new recycling technologies and stimulate research on substitutes for these metals;
• Phase out landfilling for recyclable materials;
• Build up recycling infrastructure and markets where they do not exist.
While a more effective waste management and recycling scheme provides a handful of economical, social and environmental benefits that generate prosperity while maintaining a healthy environment they alone are not the only solution to Europe’s economic problems. Both are only one of the cornerstones needed to put Europe’s economy back on the right tracks.
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