In view of the upcoming vote in the plenary of the European Parliament on the Florenz report on the waste prevention and recycling strategy, CEWEP, the representation of Waste-to-Energy Plants throughout Europe, states the following opinion:

Beside proper waste treatment, waste incineration facilities supply energy to third parties (Waste-to-Energy Plants), thus contributing substantially to the replacement of fossil fuels as energy sources.

They reduce CO₂ emissions and help to reach the aims of the Kyoto-protocol. There is a close link between the sustainable management of natural resources and waste incineration.

European Waste-to-Energy Plants supply some 16 million inhabitants with electricity (this is equivalent to the entire population of the Netherlands) and 4.7 million inhabitants with heat (equivalent to almost the entire population of Finland) throughout the year.

It is estimated that by substituting oil some 21.5 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions are prevented each year. By substituting natural gas around 15.2 millon tonnes CO₂ emissions are prevented each year.

From an environmental policy perspective, it is only logical that the production of energy from waste in Waste-to-Energy Plants with high environmental standards should be recognised as energy recovery.

Considering that co-incineration of waste in industrial plants is recognised as energy recovery, it would not be sensible from the environmental point of view to exclude Waste-to-Energy Plants, with their very low emissions through efficient flue gas cleaning systems from recognition as energy recovery.

CEWEP wants to ally any fears that waste incineration could inhibit recycling. Waste incineration with energy recovery is a complimentary operation for waste which for different reasons were not or cannot be recycled by other means.

In view of the upcoming vote on the "Waste Strategy" it has to be taken into account that in many Member States energy recovery in Waste-to-Energy Plants is recognised as a vital part of the waste strategy and an integrated part of the energy planning procedure.