The use of Waste Management in the Baltic Sea Region: Analysis of Economic and Operational Indicators

Abstract

An effective waste management system is based on a comprehensive knowledge of the current situation in terms of the quality and quantity of waste generated. The article presents the results of the analysis of economic and production indicators of waste management in the countries of the European Union of the Baltic Sea region: Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Finland and Sweden. Statistical indicators for 2005–2020 and profile studies have been studied. The indicators of waste generation excluding basic mineral waste per unit of GDP (leader: Estonia — 885–532 kg / 1000 euros), household waste generation (leader: Denmark — 717.5–814 kg/person), the level of disposal of utility costs (leader: Germany — 59.25–68.35%) and the level of biowaste recycling (leader: Denmark — 120.5–151.3 kg/person). Extreme and average values were identified for each indicator for the countries under consideration, the dynamics of growth and decline were determined, general trends were identified, and median values of the indicators under consideration were compared. It was found that the generation of waste per unit of GDP for 2005–2020 decreased from 107.5 to 74 kg / 1000 euros (-31.2%); the formation of household waste increased from 448.75 to 458 kg/person (+2.1%), the level of municipal waste disposal increased from 27.5 to 42% (+14.5%), the number of recycled bio-waste increased from 22.5 to 72.5 kg/person (+222.2%). This allows us to see the results of the EUʼs purposeful work to reduce the negative burden of individual countries on the environmental sustainability of entire regions.