Lobbying Activity
Meeting with Nikolina Brnjac (Member of the European Parliament)
29 Jan 2025 · Hydrogen production practices in Croatia
Meeting with Karlo Ressler (Member of the European Parliament)
1 Feb 2024 · Hydrogen
Meeting with Sunčana Glavak (Member of the European Parliament)
31 Jan 2024 · Indeloop
Meeting with Maroš Šefčovič (Executive Vice-President) and
10 Oct 2023 · Hydrogen
Response to Early Warning Report on Waste
31 Jul 2022
European goals for the green transition and especially with the circular economy model. We believe only the creation of a quality legislative framework with an effective implementation strategy can help Europe reduce waste pollution.
EU has clearly stated its waste treatment targets. Unfortunately, member states are struggling to reach the set goals. For instance, in the Croatian Waste Management Act by January 2020, preparation for reuse and recycling of waste materials from the household should have been ensured in the share of 50% of the mass of waste, but the rate of only 34% was achieved. EC has also called infringements on Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Romania and Slovakia in 2021 to correctly apply the Landfill Directive and the Waste Framework Directive. So, to really meet the 2025 recycling targets and the 2035 landfill target, it is clear EU countries need to invest in new ways of waste management.
In our opinion, decentralized system of sustainable waste management like local sorting plants, recycling yards, compost bins and reuse centres would give autonomy and build resilience of the local communities while making their green transition a reality. Additionally, such system would encourage a non-linear economy because cities and municipalities could manage their waste independently. This makes building of regional centres redundant and lessens the costs of construction and transportation substantially. However, we feel the management system should include more waste2energy solutions because we believe EU countries have to invest in technologies that not only reduce pollution but also generate value. This way we would protect our planet but also profit from waste.
One example of such technology would be an innovative mobile plant for converting residual waste into green hydrogen (eg. Indeloop). Such plants are an ideal solution for Croatian islands and remote municipalities. It is also an economically profitable alternative for municipalities that normally depend on larger cities to solve their waste disposal needs. Of course, these easily installed plants can also cater to the needs of any larger city or region. Lastly, mentioned plants produce minimal sound and no emissions meaning they do not spread any smell or pollution to the local community unlike incinerators or compost fields.
By having a waste2energy plant, member states could reduce landfilling by 90% and extract direct value from all organic waste (sewage sludge, plastics, textile, medical waste, etc.) that cannot otherwise be treated (recycling, re-use) and by putting the plant at the landfill or a sorting centre site costs for transportation as well as fuel emissions would be minimized. To sum, the innovation helps to achieve zero pollution rates and ensures that waste management is carried out in a way that does not endanger water, air, soil, plants or animals.
Finally, waste hierarchy pyramid is clear on the methods that take priority but while reduction, recycling and re-use methods lead, the recovery of waste has become increasingly more significant, especially in the wake of an energy crisis due to cutting Russian gas and oil distribution across Europe. Indeed, waste has become a valuable energy source and while it is not renewable like the sun or wind it is a source that will exist in every human populated territory for as long as they shall inhabit it.
Therefore, based on multiple environmental, economic and energy advantages that waste2energy technology brings, we invite the European Commission to implement it in the recommendations to member states on how to improve their national waste management performance. We trust promoting waste2energy plants will help to achieve the environmental targets and speed up the green transition process in the sector of waste in the fastest and most sustainable way.
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