Municipal waste to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Net greenhouse gas emissions from municipal waste management are expected to drop considerably by 2020 because of increased recycling and incineration with energy recovery, says the European Environment Bureau. It warns, however, that there are limits to the extent that Europe can rely on improved waste management practices to tackle unsustainable consumption and production patterns and waste-related greenhouse gas emissions. The amount of municipal waste per year is expected to grow by 25% within the European Union from 2005 to 2020, with striking differences arising between Member States.