Recovery of non-biodegradable waste

Recommendation 943 (1982)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 29 April 1982 (7th Sitting) (see Doc. 4821, report of the Committee on Regional Planning and Local Authorities). Text adopted by the Assembly on 29 April 1982 (7th Sitting).

Thesaurus

The Assembly,

1. Recalling its Resolution 587 (1975) , on problems connected with the disposal of solid urban and industrial waste ;

2. Noting the recommendations of the International Conference of Local Authorities on the collection, treatment and recycling of solid urban waste which was held in Rome in March 1981, under the auspices of the City of Rome, the United Towns Organisation and the Assembly itself (see Doc. 4694 ) ;

3. Concerned by the environmental impact of organic and non-biodegradable waste, which is becoming an important source of pollution ;

4. Considering that waste management should be included as an integral part of environmental policies ;

5. Considering that waste products can be a source of raw materials and energy savings ;

6. Aware of the role of local authorities in the recovery of waste ;

7. Considering that the ordinary citizen should play his part in the recovery of waste, both as a forewarned consumer and as a helper in the collection process,

8. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers :

a urge governments of the member states :

i whilst maintaining attachment to the principle that the polluter shall pay, to adopt tax incentives (tax reductions or a special tax) or subsidies to encourage firms to use "clean" industrial technologies ;

ii to make a special effort and to introduce fiscal and trading technical measures to promote the use of biodegradable or reusable materials in manufactured products ;

iii to enable local authorities to take positive steps to expand recovery programmes and to promote the development of relevant and useful projects such as plans for the recycling and conversion of waste ;

iv to launch at municipal, regional and national level, information campaigns in order to awaken citizens to the need for waste recovery, and to explain to the public the importance to the environment, of optimising waste control ;

b instruct the European Committee for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources and the Steering Committee on Regional and Municipal Matters :

i to encourage the exchange of information between member states on research and development programmes on recycling of non-biodegradable waste ;

ii to examine and to draw attention to examples of successful action by each member state in the field of waste recovery, and to promote concerted European action which is now both relevant and necessary ;

iii to promote training programmes in the waste recovery sector, at municipal, regional, national and international level, as part of permanent training, school education and university courses ;

iv to establish a network for exchange of information on the supply and nature of waste products, the existing techniques for waste recovery, and the inventory and evaluation of arrangements made by municipalities ;

c transmit this recommendation for an opinion to the Conference of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe.