Recycling industry in the EU
The Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS), an institute of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, has published the final report of a study on impediments and prospects for the recycling industry in the EU. The report was conducted on behalf of the European Parliament's Committee on Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection, with the aim of examining the role that the recycling industry can play in "combating the growing mountains of waste" in Europe. The report presents an analysis of barriers to recycling, firstly, at a general level: economic barriers; legal barriers, including technical standards and safety requirements; and problems of definition of waste and secondary raw materials. The report then goes on to analyse impediments to recycling in different sectors, for instance: packaging, metals, paper, end of life vehicles, electric and electronic waste, building and demolition waste and used tyres. The report concludes that recycling is not always the best method of managing waste. However, it contains a number of recommendations for the establishment of a European strategy for recycling.