Waste Hierarchy
The Waste Hierarchy is defined in Article 4 of the Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC and transposed into legislation by the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2012, as amended. The Waste Hierarchy applies as a priority order in waste prevention and management legislation and policy:
- Prevention - using less material in design and manufacture. Keeping products for longer.
- Preparing for re-use - checking, cleaning, repairing, refurbishing whole items or spare parts.
- Recycling - Turning waste materials into new products. Includes Composting if Quality Protocols are met.
- Other Recovery - Includes Incineration with Energy Recovery, Gasification and Pyrolysis which produce energy (fuels, heat and power) and Anaerobic Digestion
- Disposal - Landfill and Incineration without Energy Recovery.
On the right is a pictorial diagram of the Waste Hierarchy.[1]
DEFRA's guidance on applying the Waste Hierarchy[2] was published in 2011 and the uses Life Cycle Assessment and its principles to support the thinking/guidance provided.