{"id":8,"date":"2024-04-04T04:57:17","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T01:57:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/waste\/21-main-principles-waste-management\/"},"modified":"2024-10-29T16:02:27","modified_gmt":"2024-10-29T14:02:27","slug":"21-main-principles-waste-management","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sisu.ut.ee\/waste\/21-main-principles-waste-management\/","title":{"rendered":"2.1. Main principles of waste management"},"content":{"rendered":"

Polluter pays\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Polluter-pays is a principle which is enacted to make the party responsible for producing pollution pay for the damage done to the environment. Please refer to the introductory environmental audit MOOC<\/a> for more on polluter-pays principle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With respect to waste management, the polluter-pays principle refers to the requirement for a waste generator to pay for appropriate disposal of unrecoverable material. Extended producer responsibility scheme is\u00a0for example one practical mechamism for implementing the polluter-pays principle (described in more detail in Module 3<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resource efficiency<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Resource efficiency reflects the understanding that global economic growth and development cannot be sustained on the basis of current production and consumption patterns. Globally, humanity extracts more resources to produce goods than the planet can replenish. Resource efficiency is the reduction of the environmental impact from the production and consumption of these goods, from final raw material extraction to last use and disposal. This process of resource efficiency can address sustainability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Life cycle of a product<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The product life cycle illustrates a process in which raw materials are turned into products and consumed. Once their useful life expires, they are discarded as waste. Thereafter waste can be reused, recycled or disposed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Product<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Figure 9.<\/strong> Life cycle of a product
Source: www.lifecycleinitative.org<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Waste management hierarchy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The waste management hierarchy illustrates the environmental impact of different waste management methods and has implications on the sustainability of the governing of waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The European Union Waste Framework Directive [Ref 3] introduced for the first time the five-step waste hierarchy system into waste policies.
The waste management hierarchy makes preventing waste a top priority. However, when waste is created, priority is given to preparing it for re-use, then recycling and then recovery. The least desirable option is waste disposal e.g. in landfill. The video\u00a0below presents the waste management hierarchy and explains how waste is\u00a0processed using different methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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