New status for waste incinerators goes against more prevention and recycling

Last October, Minister Cramer agreed during the General Consultation with the House of Representatives that there will be no expansion of the number of waste incineration plants (WIPs). In return, she decided to accelerate the granting of a so-called R-1 status to existing WIPs. The Recycling Network notes with disappointment that this step is diametrically opposed to the policy of focusing more on promoting waste prevention and recycling, instead of incineration.

Chairman Robbert van Duin wrote this to Minister Cramer in a consultation response on 11 January on this first amendment to the National Waste Management Plan 2009-2021.

Since the 1980s, Dutch waste policy has been focused on 'Lansink's Ladder', in which waste prevention and reuse are preferred over waste incineration from an environmental point of view. Subsequently, European waste policy also focused on this same principle.

In the Netherlands, however, overcapacity of WIPs has now arisen, meaning that a lot of recyclable waste ends up in the incinerators. The Recycling Network can imagine that, for economic reasons, it is desirable to allow waste incinerators to burn more waste. According to the minister, the R-1 status would contribute to a 'more level European playing field, because WIPs in our neighbouring countries are sometimes already granted R-status'. With this status, the incineration plants can also start incinerating waste from other countries.

As yet, there is no report to be found on the expected environmental effects of this policy change. Therefore, the Recycling Network endorses neither its motivation, nor the manner and extent to which this policy change is being shaped.

With the rapid introduction of a European framework directive, the first WIPs in our country will be able to start working with their new status as early as this year. For the time being, these are only the waste incineration plants with the best performance. The rest of the plants will keep the disposal label. However, one of the WIPs that qualifies, that of AVR-Rozenburg, does not meet the energy efficiency required for the R-1 status.

The simple fact that overcapacity has arisen in the waste incineration market is insufficient reason for a policy change, which can be expected to be unfavorable from an environmental point of view at least in the Netherlands and possibly also in total, according to the Recycling Network. Moreover, the situation is presented incorrectly: there is talk of a shortage of combustible waste, whereas there is actually an overcapacity of waste incinerators.

Read more objections from the Recycling Network in the letter sent to the minister.

Read more about the amendment to the National Waste Management Plan.

Last October, Minister Cramer agreed during the General Consultation with the House of Representatives that there will be no expansion of the number of waste incineration plants (WIPs). In return, she decided to accelerate the granting of a so-called R-1 status to existing WIPs. The Recycling Network notes with disappointment that this step is diametrically opposed to the policy of focusing more on promoting waste prevention and recycling, instead of incineration.

Chairman Robbert van Duin wrote this to Minister Cramer in a consultation response on 11 January on this first amendment to the National Waste Management Plan 2009-2021. Since the 1980s, Dutch waste policy has been focused on 'Lansink's Ladder', in which waste prevention and reuse are preferred over waste incineration from an environmental point of view. Subsequently, European waste policy also focused on this same principle. In the Netherlands, however, overcapacity of WIPs has now arisen, meaning that a lot of recyclable waste ends up in the incinerators. The Recycling Network can imagine that, for economic reasons, it is desirable to allow waste incinerators to burn more waste. According to the minister, the R-1 status would contribute to a 'more level European playing field, because WIPs in our neighbouring countries are sometimes already granted R-status'. With this status, the incineration plants can also start incinerating waste from other countries. As yet, there is no report to be found on the expected environmental effects of this policy change. Therefore, the Recycling Network endorses neither its motivation, nor the manner and extent to which this policy change is being shaped. With the rapid introduction of a European framework directive, the first WIPs in our country will be able to start working with their new status as early as this year. For the time being, these are only the waste incineration plants with the best performance. The rest of the plants will keep the disposal label. However, one of the WIPs that qualifies, that of AVR-Rozenburg, does not meet the energy efficiency required for the R-1 status. The simple fact that overcapacity has arisen in the waste incineration market is insufficient reason for a policy change, which can be expected to be unfavorable from an environmental point of view at least in the Netherlands and possibly also in total, according to the Recycling Network. Moreover, the situation is presented incorrectly: there is talk of a shortage of combustible waste, whereas there is actually an overcapacity of waste incinerators. Read more objections from the Recycling Network in the letter sent to the minister. Read more about the amendment to the National Waste Management Plan.