Current consumption and production patterns are expected to lead to increasing quantities of waste, a significant portion of which is hazardous. As consumer society gets wealthier and more productive, the demand for products increases. Coupled with decreasing product lives, this generates increasing amounts of end-of-life product wastes and associated mining and manufacturing wastes. Products are also becoming more complex using a wide variety of substances, which further exacerbates the risks from wastes to health and the environment. Europe generates more than 3 000 million tonnes of waste every year. This is equivalent to 3.8 tonnes per capita in Western Europe and 4.4 tonnes per capita in Central and Eastern Europe. By 2020 it is estimated that 45% more waste could be generated than in 1995. Treating and disposing of the increasing volumes of waste, without harming the environment, is a major challenge. The processing of waste through incineration and landfill has consequences for the environment. The principal impacts of landfill and incineration are significant at the global level. Emissions of concern include micro-pollutants (e.g. dioxin), greenhouse gases (e.g. methane), and volatile heavy metals. Other emissions may also have serious contamination impacts. |
