Waste Prevention : The key to a resource efficient and sustainable society.

Waste prevention initiatives aim to reduce the amount of waste generated as well as the toxicity in its contents. This is extremely important for the environment, but also for individuals and businesses and it plays an important role in the creation of a resource efficient and sustainable society.

The planet has finite resources and it is estimated that it would require the resources of three Earths for future generations to exist with the same level of consumption that we currently do in Europe. The ever increasing population is going to need to implement vast change in the way that resources are used and waste prevention action is going to be key in achieving this.

There has been a large increase in recycling and people are more aware than ever of the benefits of recycling wherever possible. Though this is without a doubt a positive action, waste prevention is better, as it seeks to reduce waste even before the point of recycling and use of any other solution.

The hierarchy for waste as set by the EU Waste Framework Directive.
Prevention is shown as the first step and most desirable, with disposal being the least desirable waste solution.

Reducing waste can start from the very beginning at the point of manufacture. This is known as "pre-waste" and examples include reducing the quantity of waste such as product size, to re-usable packaging as well as changing the content of materials and products to remove harmful substances that are damaging for the environment as well as human health.

Over the past few years, you may have noticed foods you buy in the supermarket are aiming to cut out excess packaging and are making a big point in advertising this fact to the consumer. One of the examples I noticed most recently, was the bizarre looking new "Quavers" multipack, that I first thought resembled baby wipes or a nappy pack when it caught my eye. PepsiCo advertise this "30% less wrap" as making the product more convenient at home and easier to store in cupboards, however it certainly serves as a form of waste prevention and will also save money due to less materials being required.

Reducing packaging is waste prevention during manufacture, the less material used leads to less overall waste.

Individuals changing their habits and behaviour as consumers is another important part of waste prevention. This can involve avoiding over-buying and being more thoughtful about what food is definitely needed and being mindful of expiry dates to avoid food waste. Other examples can be getting items such as electronics fixed rather than throwing them away and buying a new one. We can definitely all do our bit in this area!

There is no single action that will fix the impending waste problem. Governments, businesses and individuals are all going to need to take steps to change the way we use resources and switch to more efficient and sustainable practices.

Recycling is great, but prevention is better!

More information on waste prevention can be found here:

http://www.prewaste.eu/
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/prevention/