For decades, the European Union has published many different regulations on waste management and waste treatment with the aim of protecting human health and the environment. These regulations are naturally applied to wastes, and when wastes turn into a product, waste regulations lose their function. The Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC), in which the European Union determines the basic principles and general framework of waste management, was published in 2008 and was updated with the Directive (2018/851) amending the 2008/98/EC Directive on Waste in line with the circular economy principles.
The Waste Framework Directive has gathered the common provisions of many different directives such as waste prevention and reduction plans, extended producer responsibility in a framework. In addition, the concepts of by-product and end-of-waste were put into practice for the first time with this directive.
The concept of end of waste is regulated by Article 6 of the Waste Framework Directive and substances/materials that have been recycled, including recycling, and that meet the relevant criteria in line with the following conditions, are matches with end-of-waste;
In this context, after the necessary technical studies were carried out by the Joint Research Centre, End of Waste criteria for 3 streams, which were accepted by the commission were published:
In addition, as a result of the studies carried out, technical evaluation reports have been prepared for the determination of waste end criteria for waste paper, biodegradable waste and waste plastics. Based on these technical evaluation reports, legislation is issued by the commission. In addition to these, studies are continuing on especially construction aggregates, textiles and refuse derived fuels.
Within the scope of harmonization with the European Union acquis, with the Waste Management Regulation published in the Official Journal dated April 2nd, 2015 and numbered 29314, harmonization with the Waste Framework Directive has been achieved to a large extent, but the end of waste concept has not yet been harmonized with the national legislation.
Within the scope of the 2nd Period of the European Union Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA), supported under the Environment and Climate Action Sector Operational Program the Project “Technical Assistance for Development of End-of-Waste Concept in Türkiye” will build on the harmonization already achieved with the acquis and the Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC) and Directive (2018/851) amending Directive 2008/98/EC on Waste, aims to develop technical and institutional capacity to determine and effectively implement waste end criteria for certain waste streams in TürkiyeTürkiye.
The end-of-waste approach intends to:
The purpose of defining end-of-waste criteria is to facilitate and promote recycling, while ensuring a high level of environmental protection, reducing the consumption of natural resources and the amount of waste sent for disposal.
