Environmental Action Programme Research Articles

Legal provisions for the facilitation of the transition to a circular economy in the Polish legal system

The transition to a circular economy (CE) is a priority objective for European Union (EU) Member States. Specifically, this goal is stated in the 8th Environmental Action Programme (which outlines a programme until 2030), the European Green Deal, European Commission communications, and the Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC as amended by Directive 2018/851. As a member of the EU, Poland is obliged to align its waste management practices with the CE; this work is reflected in legislative changes related to waste, packaging, and the municipal maintenance of cleanliness and order. This article presents the legal status of the transition to a CE in Poland, including the established legal instruments. The Polish legal system has developed measures to protect the environment, life, and human health by preventing and reducing waste and improving the efficiency of raw material use. Waste management is consistent with the waste hierarchy, with a focus on maximising recovery (material and organic recycling, energy recovery), an extended producer responsibility system, and strict requirements for recovery and recycling rates, with a particular focus on plastic packaging. In Poland, the CE Roadmap—which includes a legislative toolkit on sustainable industrial production, sustainable consumption, bioeconomy, new business models, and CE implementation and monitoring – has been developed for the transformation toward a CE. Poland’s priorities in this regard include: (1) innovation, strengthening cooperation between industry and the scientific sector, resulting in the implementation of innovative solutions in the economy; (2) creating a European market for secondary raw materials, where their movement would be easier; (3) ensuring the high quality of secondary raw materials that results from sustainable production and consumption; and (4) developing the service sector.

Phytomonitoring and Phytoremediation of Environmental Pollutants

Since 1973, with the activation of the Environmental Action Program (EAP), the European Union has produced a substantial body of legislative packages aimed at improving the environmental quality; as a result, air, water, and soil pollution have significantly been reduced, as stated by the European Commission in the EAP 2020 [...]

Factors driving plastic-related behaviours: Towards reducing marine plastic waste in Hoi An, Vietnam

Single-use plastic (SUP) waste is one of the world's major problems, particularly if it continues to escape into the ocean unchecked; it will become the leading contributor to ocean pollution. Preventing plastic waste at its source has proven to be the most effective solution to the problem. This study explores a variety of factors that may contribute to SUP consumption and reduction behaviour in a convenient sample of residents living in Hoi An, a tourist coastal city in Vietnam. Using a cross-sectional design, the study reached 150 Vietnamese respondents between June and September 2022. The results revealed that subjective knowledge about plastics and plastic wastes (b = 0.391) and perceived strictness of legal consequences of inappropriate plastic disposal (b = -0.642) were two significant predictors of SUP reduction, while perceived cost advantage of plastics (b = 0.390) was the only predictor of SUP consumption. This study also found that the mean reported level of plastic consumption varied across three different parts of Hoi An City, with the residents of Cham Island (an area with active environmental action programmes) consuming significantly fewer SUP products compared to those living in urban and suburban areas. A model of motivation to reduce plastic waste was finally discussed. In conclusion, besides the traditional approach of raising public knowledge on the plastic problem, it is suggested that imposing strict penalties for inappropriate disposal and increasing the price of SUP plastics may be the most effective ways to reduce SUP plastic waste at its sources.

Putting nuclear waste on the sustainability agenda – integration into the concept of planetary boundaries

Abstract. One part of sustainability discussions is the debate about the ecological carrying capacity of the Earth, which was initiated in the year 2009 by a group of scientists led by Johan Rockström, who proposed the concept of “planetary boundaries” (Rockström et al., 2009). The concept defines limits of the ecological carrying capacity based on scientific findings and on the application of the precautionary principle. Since then environmental and sustainability policies have increasingly referred to the concept as a global framework, as done, for example, by the Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2012) and the EU's 8th Environmental Action Program, which calls for “a systematic change to a Union economy that ensures well-being within planetary boundaries” (European Parliament and Council of the European Union, 2022, p. 24). As one of the nine boundaries, climate change requires strong decarbonization and has led to increased investments in low-carbon technologies. Hereby, nuclear power generation gains a new momentum for newly-built reactors as well as lifetime extensions due to its low-emission character required for climate change mitigation (MIT, 2018; Cometto et al., 2022). Furthermore, the EU taxonomy has set nuclear power as a “sustainable” technology classifying it as a “green” investment (JRC, 2021). Although no greenhouse gas emissions are produced during nuclear fission, it produces another form of hazardous and long-lasting waste through spent fuel accumulation. In this sense, human-made nuclear fission is also an anthropogenic impact, which increases the number of instable isotopes representing a persistent threat to humankind and ecosystems. Although the planetary boundary concept has briefly mentioned radioactive waste as being part of other toxic and human-made waste under the category “novel entities”, it has not been further elaborated since the introduction of the framework (Steffen et al., 2015; Persson et al., 2022). Instead, other forms of human-made waste such as plastics have been analyzed and quantified (Persson et al., 2022). The aim of the workshop is to discuss the role of radioactive waste management in the context of planetary boundaries from the perspective of the various disciplines of the workshop attendees. Therefore, the concept of planetary boundaries will be introduced and a global perspective on radioactive waste accumulation will be set. In small groups the workshop attendees will work on single aspects, such as reviewing the provided arguments and whether their suitability meets the criteria to establish nuclear waste as a control variable for the novel-entity boundary. The workshop can also include considerations about possible indicators and challenges for quantification as well as address the debate on whether radioactive waste may also become a resource for future generations. Finally, groups will present their results in front of the plenum and discuss the global perspective and its implications for radioactive waste management and challenges for the sustainability discourse in science and policy. To provide a balanced and interdisciplinary discourse we will invite a few speakers, who will provide input statements, and other experts in the field. It is envisaged to provide a paper with background information and data necessary to discuss radioactive waste as a planetary concept. This preliminary work serves as a basis for discussion for the workshop.

More streamlined and targeted. A comparative analysis of the 7th and 8th Environment Action Programmes guiding European environmental policy

Environment Action Programmes (EAP's) are the most important documents defining the environmental policies within the European Union. Their implementation, over the previous 50 years, represented a significant advance in raising eco-friendly awareness and suggesting solutions for environmental problems in the European Union. In this paper, we used Institutional Grammar Tool and network analysis to identify the evolution of EU EAP's by investigating the most recent two programmes (7th Environment Action Programme and 8th Environment Action Programme), particularly in priority objectives, institutional statements, enforcement perspectives, and projected participation of stakeholders. We found that the EU's 8th Environment Action Programme (2021–2030) is further streamlined and target oriented as compared to 7th Environment Action Programme. Furthermore, institutional statements included in the 8th EAP will be implemented predominantly at the levels of European Union and European Commission. On the contrary, in the 7th EAP, the number of institutions, frameworks, and stakeholders is higher and often regional and local (e.g., European Union, Environment Action Programme, European Environment Agency, European Commission, European Parliament, Convention on Biological Diversity, regional authorities, local authorities). The close links of the 8th EAP targets with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the European Green Deal represent an important step towards a greater applicability of environmental policies in the European Union. Our study reveals that comparative analysis of legal documents using Institutional Grammar Tool and network analysis can assist policymakers in assessing the drafting of legal environmental documents and obtain indispensable information about the changes to improve environmental policies.

Aspects of improving waste management in the European Union

A number of measures are implemented in Georgia from the perspective of waste management. Laws have been developed, including within the framework of harmonization with the European Union. Some practical steps have also taken but challenges still remain. Becoming familiar with EU practices will play a valuable role in overcoming these challenges. In this paper, some of the measures implemented and planned to improve waste management in EU are studied and analyzed. The 8th Environmental Action Program of the European Union has prioritized that by 2050 at the latest, people will live well, taking into account planetary boundaries in a welfare economy. In this kind of world, where nothing is lost, growth is regenerative, achieving climate neutrality across the Union and with significantly reduced inequality. The European experience of waste management shows that it should be developed in coordination with environmental action plans. In addition, activating the involvement of all stakeholders is a daily task to achieve the set goals of waste management. The final part of the paper presents the important aspects of the measures to be taken to increase the efficiency of waste management in the European Union, which will also be useful for overcoming the relevant challenges in Georgia. Keywords: Waste Management; EU Waste Framework Directive

New circular economy perspectives on measuring sustainable waste management productivity

The aim of this study is to delve into the interrelations between sustainability and the circular economy (CE) as it relates to the development of sustainable waste management (SWM). Innovative environmental policy pathways towards the CE are discussed as are the novel Environment Action Programme (EAP) and the new circular economy action plan which are intrinsic parts of the European Green Deal (EGD). Panel data analysis using the Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI) and the Malmquist–Luenberger productivity index (MLPI) is employed to evaluate the growth in total factor productivity in the European Union. The study incorporates as inputs: energy use, labour force, and gross fixed capital formation. Desirable output is described in terms of gross domestic product, and undesirable output – municipal waste generation – is examined using the MLPI model. The studied period is 1995–2019 and involves comparison between three periods: 1998–1999, 2008–2009, and 2018–2019. It is these periods in which TFP has been increasing in Europe in an era with active institutional actions on the environment. The average productivity growth based on MPI and MLPI is found to be 3.28%, and 0.1% respectively. However, we find that the incorporation of municipal waste generation – as an undesirable output – constitutes a significant factor in the lessening of TFP. This analysis provides a useful input for EU stakeholders involved in municipal solid waste management by highlighting methods of effectively waste generation and thus expanding the elements of the CE framework which will be reviewed in the upcoming Agenda 2030 and Agenda 2050 meetings.

ГРАНТИ ПРОГРАМИ ДІЙ ЩОДО НАВКОЛИШНЬОГО СЕРЕДОВИЩА ТА КЛІМАТУ ЄВРОПЕЙСЬКОЇ КОМІСІЇ «LIFE»

The article presents one of the largest programs of the European Commission – the Environment and Climate Action Program of the European Commission "LIFE". Its advantages and destinations are demonstrated. It is emphasized that the main goals of the program are: to help make the transition to a more sustainable, cyclical, energy-efficient, renewable energy-based, climate-neutral and sustainable economy; protect, restore and improve our environment; stop and reverse the loss of diversity; stop the degradation of ecosystems by managing and strengthening the Natura 2000 network, thus contributing to sustainable development; encourage and support green ideas from both large and small companies, nongovernmental organizations, public authorities, citizen and academic groups, etc. The article analyzes the peculiarities of attracting financial instruments of the European Commission’s "LIFE" Environmental and Climate Action Program. representatives from Ukraine. The possibility of attracting grant resources by public or private legal entities in Ukraine in partnership with organizations from the countries of the European Union and associated in the Program has been demonstrated. Having analyzed all its directions, which are relevant for Ukraine, it can be concluded that some grant recipients have the opportunity to attract grant instruments of the European Commission for the implementation of environmental and climate projects and initiatives. If they are the most effective opportunities of the "LIFE" program in the period of its implementation until 2027, then this will not only contribute to the transition of the Ukrainian state to a sustainable, cyclical, energy-based, renewable energy sources, climate-neutral and sustainable economy, the introduction of ecological or climate-friendly strategies and action plans on a regional, multi-regional, national or transnational scale, but will also strengthen cooperation with strategic partners and strengthen international ties to protect, restore and improve the environment, as well as stop the loss of biodiversity.

Environmental Policy and Air Quality Standards of the European Union

In the last 50 years, environmental protection has become an indispensable part of most European initiatives and the basis of economic sustainable development. The EU's environmental protection is based primarily on available scientific and technical information for the future planning activities, taking into account the ecological state of the region, potential benefits that will arise from the application of specific measures or and harms due to the lack of implementation of the measures. All this is viewed from the aspect of the costs of environmental protection activities and the degree of contribution to the economic and social development of the region and the Union as a whole. Seven so far completed specialized Environmental Action Programs helped to improve both EU legislation and practice in member countries in the direction of sustainable development and environmental protection. On the other hand, since the beginning of the seventies of the twentieth century, the European Union has been dealing with the problem of improving air quality by controlling the emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere, as well as improving the quality of fuel and integrating guidelines for respecting the environment in the transport and energy sectors. For the Republic of Serbia, this issue is extremely important as it should follow, among others, the EU standards in the area of environmental protection and sustainable development, in the viewpoint of a potential EU member state. However, the adoption and implementation of the acquis of the EU in the field of environmental protection will require significant investments in the future.

THE EU BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY FOR 2030: BUILDING NATURE RESILIENCE IN THE WAKE OF THE POST PANDEMIC COVID-19 SOCIOECONOMIC RECOVERY

Scientists strongly emphasize that the nature protection will be crucial in the wake of the post pandemic COVID-19 socio-economic recovery as the jump-start of the economy of so-called “new normality” should not result in further environmental degradation. The paper discusses the European Union Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 (hereinafter referred to as BS) whose adoption has been announced in the European Green Deal document (hereinafter referred to as EGD) as, inter alia, the basis for building biodiversity resilience. As a comprehensive strategy aiming to foster the transition of the European Union into a green and digital economy, the EGD has included among its main objectives preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity. Special emphasis is put on the BS which has been adopted in the middle of the pandemic COVID-19 and which aims, inter alia, to enhance environment resilience. The EU ambition is to ensure that the world ecosystems are restored, resilient, and adequately protected by 2050. From this perspective, the EU biodiversity strategy is focused on strengthening nature protection. One of its purposes is to create political and legal tools for building environment resilience, particularly desirable in time of the “new” socioenvironmental normality, following the pandemic crisis. The paper comprises three parts: The introductory issues are followed by the legalsystemic approach to EGD, BS, and the 8th General Union Environment Action Programme until 2030 (hereinafter referred to as the 8th EAP).. The third part addresses biodiversity building resilience from the EGD, BS and the 8th EAP. At the end some complementary remarks de lege lata and de lege ferenda are offered.

Low-Carbon Technologies to Remove Organic Micropollutants from Wastewater: A Focus on Pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceutical residues are of environmental concern since they are found in several environmental compartments, including surface, ground and waste waters. However, the effect of pharmaceuticals on ecosystems is still under investigation. To date, the removal of these micropollutants by conventional treatment plants is generally ineffective, in addition to producing a considerable carbon footprint. In this sense, to achieve the current zero-pollution ambition, a reduction in the negative impacts of chemical substances such as pharmaceuticals on the environment must be aligned with initiatives such as the European Ecological Compact, Environment Action Programme, and Circular Economy Action Plan, among others. This review provides insight into the key drivers for changing approaches, technologies, and governance of water in Europe (Germany, Switzerland, and the UK), including improving wastewater treatment in sewage treatment plants for the removal of pharmaceuticals and their carbon footprint. In addition, an overview of emerging low-carbon technologies (e.g., constructed wetlands, anaerobic membrane bioreactors, and enzymes) for the removal of pharmaceuticals in sewage treatment works is provided. In general, the removal efficiency of pharmaceuticals could be achieved up to ca. 100% in wastewater, with the exception of highly recalcitrant pharmaceuticals such as carbamazepine (removal <60%). These technologies have the potential to help reduce the carbon footprint of wastewater treatment, which can therefore contribute to the achievement of the Europe Union’s objective of being carbon neutral by 2050.

Environmental Action Programs Using Positive Youth Development May Increase Civic Engagement

Civic engagement in adults may be influenced by their participation as young people in environmental action programs. To assess this hypothesis, we conducted a case study to see if an environmental action program at the St. Louis Zoo impacted participants’ civic engagement in respect to positive youth development practices. During 2019, we surveyed youth from the St. Louis, Missouri area participating in the Bye-to-Bags program, which was a student-initiated program. We used a modified measurement scale for civic engagement outcomes, and measured three positive youth development practices: sparks, or an individual’s passions; adult relationships; and voice. We found that civic engagement and positive youth development outcomes were both present in the Bye-to-Bags program, which offered opportunities for youth engagement in environmental action in the community. Our results also showed that zoos with environmental action programs may increase youth civic engagement, especially when young people are given a sense of voice in programmatic decisions supported by strong adult relationships. Environmental education programs promoting sustainable behavior may help young people become environmentally responsible and civically engaged adults.

Forecasting Landfilling Indicators Of Municipal Waste In Greece Using Univariate Time-series Model

Implementation of environmental policies, is one of the European Commission's key priorities, as confirmed by its proposal for the 7th Environment Action Programme and the Roadmap to a resource-efficient Europe. Subsequently, the European Union revised its waste legislation to address these challenges more adequately. As a result, the EU's Waste Framework Directive and Landfill Directive set binding targets for recycling municipal waste and diverting biodegradable municipal waste from landfills. This paper deals with the monitoring of municipal waste management operations in Greece, in terms of technical content and ability to reach the targets of the initiatives. In addition, a more detailed report on waste indicators published by Eurostat will be based on an Exploratory Data Analysis and on a Univariate time-series prediction model. Finally, the overall aim of this study is to gain maximum insight into the data and understand its underlying structure through graphical representation, to achieve the most accurate forecast for the landfilling operation.

Program Design Principles to Support Teen-Adult Community Conservation Efforts

Researchers and practitioners have identified numerous outcomes of place-based environmental action (PBEA) programs at both individual and community levels (e.g., promoting positive youth development, fostering science identity, building social capital, and contributing to environmental quality improvement). In many cases, the primary audience of PBEA programs are youth, with less attention given to lifelong learners or intergenerational (e.g., youth and adult) partnerships. However, there is a need for PBEA programs for lifelong learners as local conservation decisions in the United States are often carried out by volunteer boards and commissions, which often have little formal conservation training. Intergenerational PBEA programs can provide an opportunity to bring together, in the case of this study, the unique skills and knowledge of teens (e.g., tech-savvy) and adults (e.g., knowledgeable of local community issues) that can lead to innovative ways of addressing real world endeavors that are relevant to participants and their communities.This study describes a program model that offers structured learning opportunities that support intergenerational partnerships (teens and adults) as they contribute to community conservation efforts. We used a design-based research approach to develop and refine program design principles and communication pillars for the purpose of supporting successful teen-adult conservation projects, positive participant experiences, and science identity authoring. The principles and pillars drew on identity, cultural learning pathways, and community conservation research literature as well as previously collected participant interview data from our intergenerational PBEA program. We outline four design principles and four communication pillars that are critical to facilitate collaborative teen-adult environmental action efforts and serve dual functions of providing program guidance and participant support. The aim of these principles and pillars are to establish collaborative team partnership norms that resist traditional hierarchical teen-adult relationships. Further, the principles and pillars consider how partners can draw on their interests, experiences, and knowledge of community, and utilize these assets along with conservation science disciplinary practices to accomplish meaningful science pursuits; thus facilitating how they identify themselves as contributing to science endeavors. Exemplar data and literature that support each principle and pillar are provided, and future extensions of these principles are discussed.

Testing social identity models of collective action in an Iranian environmental movement

AbstractThe social identity model of collective action (SIMCA) and the encapsulation model of the social identity of collective action (EMSICA) are well‐known models that have been applied to protest action. The current study tests the predictive value of the core constructs in the models (social identification, perceived injustice and group efficacy) in a peaceful pro‐environmental program. Specifically, we sought to answer whether the two models provide equally good accounts of (self‐reported) past participation and of intended participation. To do so, we conducted a survey of 382 participants of a sustained environmental collective action program (Nature Cleaners) in Iran. Our findings underlined the important role of social identification in predicting environmental action. The results also showed that SIMCA was more relevant for intentions to participate, whereas paths specified by EMSICA better predicted past participation. The results provide a demonstration of the applicability of collective action models to the domain of pro‐environmental action in the Iranian cultural context where collective action is rarely studied. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of studying collective action in a wider range of situations and contexts.

4.D. Workshop: Health Impact assessment of chemical exposure: state of the art and challenges

Abstract Humans worldwide are exposed to a wide range of chemicals through their diets, consumer products and the environment, often changing in concentrations, combinations and over time. Health impact assessment (HIA) for exposure to chemicals is poorly defined and its contribution to the global burden of disease is difficult to quantify and certainly underestimated. The importance of taking actions for reducing deaths and illness associated to hazardous chemicals is reflected in the UN Sustainable Development Goals target 3.9, as well as in the 7th European Environment Action Programme or in the European Green Deal (Communication of the European Commission, COM (2019) 640 final). Recent discussions suggest that current EU Legislation, while contributing to reducing the overall risks of chemicals in the environment, is protecting mainly against highly toxic chemicals in the workplace. However, the assessment of potential health impacts over the general population is limited by uncertainties related to data collection, health indicators and confounding factors. Concerns have also been reported regarding the increased introduction in the market and the environment of new substances with unknown properties as well as referring to the chronic, low-level exposure to chemical mixtures, which are considered to be poorly characterised and yet to be systematically addressed. Notably, in recent years the European Commission (EC), acknowledging that the assessment and management of mixtures is only partly covered by current legislation, has identified several gaps and areas for action. With regard to carcinogens, the proportion of non-genotoxic carcinogens in the environment is expected to increase, since industrial chemists are designing compounds without overly reactive moieties. In addition, the manufacture and use of novel types of substances including nanomaterials, new generation pesticides and pharmaceuticals (e.g. biologicals, cell and gene therapies) are expected to increase. This raises new challenges for the assessment and risk management of the carcinogenicity impacts of chemicals. The present workshop intends to provide an overview of the different initiatives conducted in Europe at different scales (European, national and regional), to address such defies related to the HIA of chemicals. Specifically, we will debate about existing data sets for characterising both human exposure and health effects related to chemicals, new approaches and guidance for the assessment of exposure to mixtures, and the carcinogenicity impacts as well as how all that is being translated to policy actions. Key messages Increasing global trend of human exposure to chemicals demands holistic approach for action. Several research/policy initiatives for improving HIA-chemicals are ongoing, with expected strong impacts.

The (un)successful EU Environmental Policy

The EU asserts itself as a leader when it comes to climate change policy. In this article, we analyze the EU’s environmental action regarding the 7th Environmental Action Programme 2020 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) 2030 set by the UN. We synthesise the successes and failures of the EU’s environmental policy in the fields of emissions reduction, circular economy, biodiversity, energy policy and agricultural policy, with the goal of understanding where the EU is lacking and what, therefore, needs stronger measures to reach international goals and avoid an environmental catastrophe. We conclude that the EU will not reach most environmental targets set for 2020 and in order to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, what changes need to be implemented to ensure stronger environmental measures.

Come on, let’s make a plan—towards an 8th EU environmental action programme

Come on, let’s make a plan—towards an 8th EU environmental action programme

An overview of the EU regulation on endocrine disruptors

TPS 641: Policies, interventions, communication, Exhibition Hall, Ground floor, August 28, 2019, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Background: Many substances have been shown to affect the endocrine system and consequently cause adverse effects in living organisms or populations. The European Union (EU) identified this issue of endocrine disruptors (EDs) in the 1990s and has since then developed regulations specifically referring to EDs. Aim We reviewed the EU regulations that relate to EDs. Main conclusions Minimising overall exposure of humans and the environment to EDs was defined as an aim in the 7th Environmental Action Program and 2018 EU framework on EDs. Attaining this goal requires a) a cross-sectorial (“horizontal”) definition of EDs; b) a guidance document explaining how to apply the definition using test results and scientific literature to identify EDs; c) tests covering all ED modalities (e.g. estrogenic or thyroid-related modalities); d) legal requirements to make these tests compulsory in application dossiers submitted by an industry willing to market a new substance; e) a management logic for substances and products that turn out to contain EDs. Currently, a legal definition of EDs only exists for biocides and plant protection products (pesticides), the sectors with the most advanced EDs regulation in the EU. However, even for pesticides, the regulation is imperfect, in that a definition and a management logic exist (zero exposure to EDs in pesticides) but without appropriate ED tests covering all ED endpoints being compulsory in application dossiers. These omissions make ED identification very difficult in practice. The lack of efficient consideration and regulation of EDs is more pronounced in other sectors where human ED exposure is also very likely, such as food additives and food contact materials (including non-plastic food contact material), cosmetics, toys, consumer goods and workers’ protection, where EDs are sometimes even not defined. We present recommendations regarding test development, test requirements and management of EDs across sectors.

How should we deal with the interfaces between chemicals, product and waste legislation?

BackgroundIn the 7th Environment Action Programme, the European Commission targets two essential goals in the handling of substances and materials known by the buzzwords “non-toxic environment” and “circular economy”. There are numerous interfaces in product, waste and chemicals legislation in these two areas. This leads to conflicting objectives, e.g. with regard to the classification of waste in analogy to chemicals as well as at the border between waste and secondary raw materials that are further processed into products.ResultsWe investigate how these conflicting objectives can be mitigated or resolved. In our view, it is necessary to provide operators in the waste management sector with considerably more information on the composition of used products than before; this should include not only hazardous substances but also materials that interfere with the recycling process as well as recyclable or valuable materials. Waste management legislation largely follows risk considerations—a 1:1 transfer of hazard classifications of chemicals and products to waste management would be counterproductive to achieving the Commission’s objectives. In the case of contaminated secondary raw materials, their input into products can be justified in specific cases. However, this requires a risk assessment that includes in particular physicochemical factors, patterns of utilisation and controlled collection routes. Internationally recognised lists of secondary materials are an important condition for determining end-of-waste status and thus for increasing material recycling.ConclusionsA common guiding principle for chemicals policy and waste management is urgently needed.