Zero Waste Indicators - Waste prevention monitoring in the European Union

Abstract

This dissertation attempts to set out the monitoring framework of waste prevention in the European Union for better planning, implementation and accountability of the environmental policy. It is prepared as a contribution to boost waste prevention activities and networks, to support the shift in paradigm in production and consumption. The research questions rising are: • Main question: “How can waste prevention be monitored in the European Union?” • Supporting question 1: Which social, economic, and environmental factors affect the waste prevention? • Supporting question 2: How does waste prevention appear in the EU and Member States policies? • Supporting question 3: Which are the commonly used waste prevention indicators? • Supporting question 4: Are there other, more appropriate indicators for the measurement of waste prevention? Given the descriptive characteristic of the main question, and supporting questions 2 and 3, null hypotheses were only set up for supporting questions 1 and 4. The variables examined were based on the systematic review of the Eurostat indicator database, listed in chapter on ‘Result of the dissertation’ together with the verification of rejection of H0.