Waste hierarchy revisited — an evaluation of waste wood recycling in the context of EU energy policy and the European market

Abstract

The EU Waste Framework Directive requires a five-stage waste hierarchy for waste management in the member countries of the EU. This specification also applies to biomass so that for waste wood recycling is given priority over energy recovery. Previous lifecycle assessment studies show the environmental benefits of the waste hierarchy with regard to waste wood. However, they do not take into account the current context of energy policy which relies on an increased use of biomass as an energy carrier. If this factor and its effects on biomass availability are included in the system of lifecycle analysis, wood recycling and waste to-energy are essentially equal in terms of environmental assessment. Political intervention in the waste wood market, such as prioritising recycling, therefore deserves close examination. It is time for a discussion on whether the stated benefit of cascade use of wood (and biomass) should be fundamentally questioned.