Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-02-02-Speech-4-019-000"
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"en.20120202.5.4-019-000"2
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"Mr President, the EU generates 2 billion tonnes of waste, of which 40 million tonnes is classed as special waste, every year. On a
basis, it puts the role of India and China as waste producers into perspective. Although North America, Western Europe, Japan and Korea are known to lead the field when it comes to recycling, they still generate more waste than the rest of the world put together. The developments that go hand-in-hand with rising disposal costs should not be underestimated. In the US, electronics manufacturers save on disposal costs by shipping electronic waste to Africa or other areas of the developing world and calling it development aid, not to mention the innumerable tonnes of German PET bottles that are processed into stuffing for soft toys in China, where expensive environmental legislation and rules on worker protection do not apply, or which eventually end up in items of clothing destined for the West.
In addition, many materials can only undergo the recycling process a limited number of times. In other cases, only a small proportion can be recycled. Downcycling is just as much of a problem as transporting waste all the way across Europe and the black sheep that dump waste illegally. What might be helpful, therefore, is the combination of an increase in recycling rates together with strict controls on exports of electronic waste and a shifting of the cost burden onto those who cause the waste. Waste avoidance measures are even more important, however. In ordering everyone to use toxic energy-saving bulbs, the EU has hardly covered itself in glory in this respect. Moreover, we must not forget that the issue of the storage of nuclear waste has still not been resolved. That is yet another reason to refrain from building more nuclear power stations."@en1
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