Waste Management

Our work has covered many aspects of waste management.  We have undertaken risk assessment work for both landfills and incinerators during planning and development as well as at the operational stages of such facilities.  We have also assessed the social and economic impacts of waste management policies.

Employment Effects of Waste Management Policies

RPA was commissioned to provide additional information to DG Environment on the employment effects of different waste management policies. Read more..

WEE Directive

RPA has contributed to two studies as part of the European Commission’s review of the functioning of the Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and the related Directive on Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS).  We carried out an assessment of the impacts of the WEEE and RoHS Directive on innovation and competition.  The study compared the approach taken with respect to different waste streams under the WEEE Directive and in China, Japan and the US.  Read more…

We also assisted with a thorough evaluation of the operation of the WEEE Directive's provisions relating to producer responsibility obligations for WEEE and to consider options to improve the operation of those obligations in the EU. The study considered the impacts, efficacy and efficiency of the WEEE Directive from an environmental and economic and, as far as possible, a social perspective.  Read more…

Read more from DG Environment..

Waste Minimisation

The Environment Agency needs to be informed on how hazardous waste impacts arise and are evolving within product life-cycles, in order to be pro-active and influential in contributing to the development of future EC Directives and other initiatives aimed at minimising impacts.  RPA worked with Casella and Best Foot Forward to provide an initial assessment of the appropriateness and efficacy of alternative policy, fiscal, educational and voluntary actions that may be considered to prevent or reduce the identified hazardous waste impacts.  The assessment has focused on two topical resource flow case studies; the product lifecycles of motor cars and televisions/monitors.