Vienna, Austria - International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) has presented the Waste & Climate ISWA White Paper, setting forth the technologies and mechanisms which can transform the waste sector into a net global reducer of GHG emissions, and making the necessary commitments to assist this change. ISWA’s aim is to facilitate global improvements in waste management strategies.

Solutions - says ISWA - must be found that will mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases and help to adapt to its unavoidable consequences. The complexity of the issue requires the acceptance of a common responsibility from both the public and private sector. So the association will support new research and education programmes and assess experiences from different countries on policy, strategy and accounting, to provide a global foundation for progress.

The key messages of the White Paper on Re-evaluating waste run:

1. The waste industry occupies a unique position as a potential reducer of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As industries and countries worldwide struggle to address their carbon footprint, waste sector activities represent an opportunity for carbon reduction which has yet to be fully exploited.

2. The waste sector offers a portfolio of proven, practical and cost effective technologies which can contribute to GHG mitigation. When adapted and deployed according to local traditions and needs, they can help secure significant global GHG emission savings.

3. Waste prevention, minimisation, reuse and recycling are on the increase across the globe, representing a growing potential for reducing GHG emissions by conserving raw materials and fossil fuels.

4. Through aerobic and anaerobic biological treatment technologies, organic wastes can be recovered and transformed into soil conditioners and fertilisers. These processes reduce GHG emissions by sequestering biogenic carbon in soils, improving soil physical properties, and adding soil nutrients.

5. Waste offers a significant source of renewable energy. Incineration and other thermal processes for waste-to-energy, landfill gas recovery and utilisation, and use of anaerobic digester biogas can play important roles in reducing fossil fuel consumption and GHG emission.

6. The transfer of sustainable technology to developing countries is crucial to reducing GHG emissions. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), introduced under the Kyoto protocol, has provided an opportunity for the waste sector to make significant advances towards this goal. However, structural and administrative improvements to the CDM registration process are needed.

7. Waste policies and regulations can be strong national drivers to reduce GHG emissions.

8. Accurate measurement and quantification of GHG emissions is vital in order to set and monitor realistic reduction targets at all levels. Current methodologies form a valuable database for assessment of GHG emissions from waste activities, however, improvements are required to adequately represent the full lifecycle of materials and energy.

The complete White Paper can be downloaded under iswa.org(1); a summary is available under iswa.org(2).

Quelle: International Solid Waste Association (ISWA)

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