The European Parliament has adopted a number of amendments to the renewables directive including an agreement that incineration can be classified as a renewable energy source as long as the incineration of municipal waste does not undermine the waste hierarchy.
The EWA said that it was encouraged by the adoption of the final wording of the definition, whereby energy produced from incinerating the biodegradable portion of municipal and industrial waste will be classified as renewable. The Association added that it agrees that incinerators should not be promoted if it undermines the waste hierarchy and that incinerator operators will be eligible for financial support only if this does not undermine the EU's waste hierarchy.
Malcolm Chilton, chairman of EWA, emphasised that the Association has long advocated the adoption of the waste hierarchy, with recycling and composting taking precedence over incineration providing that the philosophy of best practicable environmental option prevails.
The directive aims to increase the share of renewable energy in EU electricity consumption to 22.1% by 2010. Although the EC has not proposed national targets, it warns that action will be taken if the targets that nations set themselves are not in line with what it suggested.
The Association hopes that the EU's position will be carried into forthcoming UK legislation and calls for the inclusion of all forms of thermal treatment in the Renewables Obligation (RO).
A spokeswoman for the Energy from Waste Association said: “The RO provides a potentially elegant mechanism for encouraging the generation of renewable energy, but reiterates that if we are to stand any chance of meeting the extremely demanding 2010 target, all forms of renewable energy need maximum support and encouragement.”
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