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:
Diagram of the Waste Hierarchy[1]
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
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.
