Forum:
ECOSOC
Issue:
Measures to reduce non-biodegradable waste
Student Officer:
Maria Meri
Position:
Co-Chair
Food waste over the last decade has increased rapidly and significantly. People all around the world produce a lot of wastes in a daily routine, which they either throw away or discard them. Kitchen wastes and expendable items are some examples of substances which people use. The expendable items are usually made from materials such as paper, plastic, glass etc. From the other side, kitchen wastes could be vegetables and fruit peels. These substances are named biodegradable substances because they can be easily broken down by active bacteria and other decomposers. Unfortunately, all other materials are extremely difficult to break down.
Technology in order to ameliorate livelihood and facilitate people’s lives gave birth to an innovative form of life. For instance, plastic bottles are convenient to use and carry however its disposal affects negatively the environment. As a result, tons of materials are wasted by humans widely every day, but only some of them are actually harmful for the environment. That’s why waste materials could be categorised in two groups: The biodegradable and the non-biodegradable materials.
All these lead us to the conclusion that all non-biodegradable materials are harmful and should be banned. However, this topic should be approached from a more wide perspective, taking into consideration not only the environmental aspect of the issue but also the economic and social. It is logical that by cutting off their disposal not only people will be frustrated but the global economy will have to face a huge financial blow. To conclude, since ECOSOC’s responsibility is to examine all issues from a more general point of view, the solutions to the problem should be more precise and effective than just denying what technology has offered to humanity.
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Introduction
Definition of Key Terms
Waste: Is the act of consuming, spending or employing uselessly or without giving full value or being fully utilized or appreciated.1
Biodegradable waste:Bio-waste is defined as biodegradable garden and park waste, food and kitchen waste from households, restaurants, caterers and retail premises, and comparable waste from food processing plants. It does not include forestry or agricultural residues, manure, sewage sludge, or other biodegradable waste such as natural textiles, paper or processed wood. It also excludes those by-products of food production that never become waste.2
Non-biodegradable waste: A Non-Biodegradable material can be defined as a kind of substance which cannot be broken down by natural organisms and acts as a source of pollution. Unlike biodegradable wastes, non-biodegradable cannot be easily handled. Non-biodegradable wastes are those who cannot be decomposed or dissolved by natural agents. They remain on earth for thousands of years without any degradation.3
Municipal waste: Municipal waste covers household waste and waste similar in nature and composition to household waste.4
Biodegradable municipal waste: Biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) comprises those elements of the municipal waste streams that will rot or degrade biologically. The main constituents of the biodegradable proportion of municipal waste are typically parks and garden waste, food waste, timber, paper, card and textiles.
51 “Waste.” Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com, www.dictionary.com/browse/waste.
2 “Biodegradable Waste.” Biodegradable Waste - Environment - European Commission,
ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/compost/index.htm.
3 Admin. “Biodegradable And Non-Biodegradable - Definition, Examples & Treatment.” BYJUS, BYJU'S, 7 Dec.
2020, byjus.com/chemistry/biodegradable-and-non-biodegradable/.
4https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/342366/351811/Municipal+Waste+guidance/bd38a449-7d30-44b6-a39f-8
a20a9e67af2
Waste Disposal:
Removing and destroying or storing damaged, used or other unwanted domestic, agricultural or industria l products and substances. Disposal includes burning, burial at landfill sites or at sea, and recycling.6
Micro plastics: Microplastics are small plastic pieces less than five millimetres long which can be harmful to our ocean and aquatic life
.
7Background Information
Types of waste
Industrial Waste:
Industrial waste is used in order to describe materials which are useless after the manufacturing process is done. It can be categorised in types of industrial waste such as Solid Waste, Toxic Waste, Chemical Waste and Secondary waste. First of all Solid Waste is related to animal remains to food, non-recyclable glass and electrical components. From the other side, toxic waste can contaminate waterways, including rivers and lakes, causing widespread damage if not handled properly. Generally, these materials are by-products of other materials generated at factories, hospitals and other manufacturing facilities. Finally, as far as chemical waste is concerned factories, plants and other types of processing centers typically generate this type of waste, which include various types of chemicals and their residues
.
Agricultural Waste:
Agricultural waste refers to waste produced as a consequence of various agricultural activities. It includes manure and other waste from farms, poultry houses and slaughterhouses; waste from harvesting; fertilizer run-off from fields; pesticides entering water, air or soil; and field-drained salt and silt. Management of agriculture is a dynamic process requiring individual attention in order to resolve issues relating to all functional elements, such as water, fertilizers and biocides. A key constraint faced in the management of agricultural waste is the lack of data on various geographical regions. Therefore a
6https://www.thefreedictionary.com/waste+disposal
7https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/microplastics.html
tangible mechanism for the development of an international database on the amount, composition and characteristics of agro-waste is urgently required.
Domestic Waste:
This has been one of the most important causes of severe harm to the rural environment due to the large quantities of waste released and improper disposal. Non-hazardous waste and hazardous waste can for m part of this waste. Non-hazardous waste, which can be recycled or composted, can include food scrap -s, paper, bottles, etc. Batteries and household cleaners are examples of harmful waste. The manageme -nt of hazardous waste is critical. It is crucial that hazardous waste is handled in a safe manner to ensure that they are disposed properly so they do not cause harm.
Commercial Waste:
It is possible to describe commercial waste as any waste other than domestic waste. It may be produced from regular maintenance of the business premises as a result of the operation of a non-profit organization or the operation of a business, including associated lawn and garden clippings. Commercial waste often involves waste generated by customers of a company (e.g. food wrappers and containers). Industrial waste is not approved by some waste facilities.
Difference between Biodegradable and Non-Biodegradable
The major differences between the two types of waste are the following. First of all, Degradation process in Biodegradable waste is rapid in contrary to the non-biodegradable waste which might need years. Moreover, Non-Biodegradable waste cannot be decomposed by microbes, but biodegradable can. From the one side, biodegradable waste are not accumulated but they are used in a short time period. From the other side non-biodegradable waste often accumulates. To continue, most of the Non-Biodegradable waste never enters into biogeochemical cycles which are something biodegradable waste do. Finally, Biodegradable waste is used to produce energy manure, compost and biogas. However, Non-Biodegradable waste can be separated and recycled but the process is very expensive.
Effects of non-biodegradable waste
Effects on Marine Life
In the oceans and estuaries, non-biodegradable plastic containers can damage fish, seabirds and other marine life. Plastic-eating animals can strangle or experience digestive issues. Microplastics, tiny polypropylene or polyethylene pieces, hide under the water and also pose a risk. As of September 2014, researchers from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science have been creating biodegradable microbeads that break down when they are eaten by microbes in marine water.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a collection of marine waste from the North Pacific Ocean. Marine debris is a litter that ends in oceans, seas, and other large bodies of water.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also known as the Pacific trash vortex, covers the oceans from the western coast of North America to Japan. The patch is actually made up of the Western Garbage Patch, situated near Japan, and the Eastern Garbage Patch, located between the U.S. states of Hawaii and California.
Nobody can know the amount of debris that make up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is. For scientists to trawl, the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre is huge. Moreover, on the surface, not all of the garbage floats. Denser debris can sink centimeters or even several meters below the surface, which makes it almost impossible to calculate the area of the vortex.
Effects on the land
There is a small amount of land on the earth, and people waste it when they dispose of products that are not biodegradable. Materials which do not naturally decompose can remain in landfills and take up space much longer than biodegradable materials. Any non-biodegradable garbage can not even make it into landfills when people litter. It can make its way through forests, parks, fields, and the sea instead.
Side effects of non-biodegradable waste
Although biodegradation benefits humans, animals and the climate, it can trigger a few issues. Too much biodegradable waste will deplete the oxygen in a water source. Additionally, if too much is generated, some forms of biodegradable waste, such as cattle manure, may trigger health and environmental concerns.
Economic aspect of the issue
Waste is a part of the economy. It can’t disappear but that doesn’t mean that It can’t be minimized. While waste in all types negatively affects the environment the economic effects are also of major importance. The effects of waste in general to the economy are numerous. When resources are produced and used in ways that lead to their disposal as waste, the loss of those resources is an economic loss. When resources can be saved, reused, recovered or used more efficiently, there is a net economic gain. The materials recovery industry makes a significant contribution to the economy. As a result both biodegradable and non biodegradable wastes affect the economy. However since non biodegradable waste is based on products made by industries we can understand the fact that the economic impact is more severe in that case. However non biodegradable products are fundamental for the development of the economy and that’s because nowadays the economy is mostly based in industrial products trade. So,
if non-biodegradable materials were banned from the market a lot of industries would close and unemployment would be increased. To conclude, it is important to minimise non-biodegradable waste by not abolishing non-biodegradable materials.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
The 12th SDG reads are follows: “Responsible Consumption and Production” which is highly related to the topic this SG is dealing with.
A few facts and figures:
Yearly, an estimated one third of all food produced equal to 1.3 billion tons worth around $1 trillion, ends up rotting or spoiling in the bins of customers and retailers due to inadequate transport and harvesting practices.. The planet would save US$120 billion annually if individuals worldwide converted to energy-efficient light bulbs.
So sustainable consumption and production is possible and has to do with doing more and better with less. It aims to achieve economic growth from environmental degradation, increase resource efficiency and promote sustainable lifestyles. Sustainable consumption and production are about doing something for less and doing more. Sustainable consumption and development can also make a major contribution to the alleviation of poverty and the transition to low-carbon and green economies.
Major Countries and Organizations Involved
Ireland
Ireland meets EU waste regulatory targets for the recovery and recycling of waste packaging, waste electrical and electronic appliances, batteries & accumulators and the removal of biodegradable municipal waste from landfill sites. Despite the increase in end-of-life vehicle recovery in recent years, Ireland hasn't managed to reach the recovery and recycling goals for this waste stream.
UK
UK recycling rate for household waste (WfH; including IBA metal) was 45.0 per cent in 2018, down from 45.5 per cent in 2017. There is an EU goal for the UK to recycle at least 50% of household waste by 2020.The recycling rate for WfH decreased in all United Kingdom countries except for Northern Europe. England's recycling rate was 44.7 per cent compared to 47.7 per cent in Northern Ireland, 42.8% in Scotland and 54.1% in Wales. UK Biodegradable Municipal Waste (BMW) sent to landfill has been
reduced. About 7.4 million tons in 2017 (21% of baseline value in 1995) and about 7.2 million tons in 2018 (20 percent of the baseline 1995 value) were decreased. The United Kingdom is therefore still on track to meet the EU goal of limiting BMW to 35% of landfill sites. The baseline for this target which was set back in 1995 is 2020.
China
China updated the plastics industry regulation on January 2020, 12 years after restrictions on plastic bags were first introduced. Released by the National Development and Reform Commission of China and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the document encourages alternative goods, standardizes recycling and the use of plastic waste.
Germany
Based on a research conducted by the German Economic Institute (IW) (IW) (IW) Germant is by far the most effective of all Europeans concerning recycling. Peter Kurth, of the Federal Association of the German Waste Management Industry (BDE), concurs: "Those who produce plastic goods are responsible for ensuing they can be recycled." But that's just the first step, he stresses, adding that "We do not think symbolically banning single-use plastic items will be very helpful."
Switzerland
Switzerland has a long history of waste disposal from landfill sites and has a long tradition of successful disposal. As a country it has an efficient recycling system. Most of the MSW (munipical solid waste)produced in the country is either recycled or incinerated. According to the EU Landfill Directive, it is a general obligation that all Member States must reduce the volume of urban biodegradable waste landfilled (BMW) by 2006, 2009 and 2016.However these goals do not refer to Switzerland. However, for the SOER2010 report of the EEA, the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (BAFU) confirmed zero BMW landfill in 2006
France
In France, MSW is characterized by the following forms of waste: street sweeping, sewage sludge and garden. On 10 February 2020, the law No 2020-105 was signed by the French President Emmanuel Macron signed in fight against waste and the circular economy (Law No. 2020-105 Regarding a Circular Economy and the Fight against Waste). The specific law is aiming in transforming the French model of society from a linear economy to a circular economy, where waste is reduced and resources are reused as much as possible. This new economic system will include a low use of non-renewable resources, the re-use of waste as a resource, goods with a longer lifetime, the recycling of 100% of plastics, and less
wastefulness.In 2019, a law was passed by the The French Parliament's lower chamber with main purpose to ban all single-use plastic products and packaging after 2040, as well as a raft of measures to ramp up reuse and recycling. Even though it is a first step Environmentalists believe the 2040 deadline is too long.
UN Environment Programme/ International Waste Management Organization
The United Nations Environment Program and the International Waste Management Organization have a joint initiative known as The Global Waste Management. Practically it is a global scientific evaluation of the state of waste management and a call for action by the international community. The document has a historic approach to waste management and tries to identify waste and resource management as a key contributor to achieve sustainable development and climate change mitigation.
UN Climate Change (UNFCCC)
The UNFCCC Secretariat (UN Climate Change) is the UN body responsible for fostering a global response to the climate change problem. UNFCCC stands for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Convention has almost universal membership (197 Parties) and is the parent of the 2015 Paris Agreement. The main goal of the Paris Agreement is to limit the global average temperature increase of this century as near as possible to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
.
As far as waste management is concert the organization tries to reinforce education and awareness-raising to improve climate resilience and mitigation in the host communities of the Kibera slum in Nairobi, Kenya. Via waste management and river restoration, the operation aims to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and boost carbon sinks, thereby contributing to both mitigation and community adaptation.
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
It is an international financial organization and a United Nations specialized agency based in Rome, the Food and Agriculture Capital of the United Nations. It is remarkable the fact that since 1978 they have given approximately 22.4 billion dollars in grants and low-interest loans to projects with an estimated 512 million people.
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) refers to rural people in a try to encourage them to increase food security, ameliorate their families’ nutrition while increasing their incomes. They support the families in order for them to achieve resilience, grow their businesses and take care of their own growth.
Timeline of Events
Relevant UN Treaties and Events
● Declaration of Prevention, reduction and reuse of food waste Nairobi, 23–27 May 2016UNEP/EA.2/Res.9
The Second United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEA-2) met in Nairobi, Kenya, from 23-27 May 2016. More than 2,500 delegates from 174 nations, attended the meeting with other registered participants, including 230 business leaders and 400 approved major groups and stakeholders. During the meeting, the delegates negotiated resolutions in the Committee of the Whole (COW) which were adopted by UNEA-2 at its closing plenary session.
● Declaration on Marine plastic litter and microplastics Nairobi, 23–27 May 2016 UNEP/EA.2/Res.11 Distr.: General
Resolution signed in Nairobi in 2016 based on the issue of limiting the marine plastic liter and micro plastics.
https://undocs.org/UNEP/EA.2/Res.11
● Delivering on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Nairobi, 23–27 May 2016 UNEP/EA.2/Res.5
Resolution signed in Nairobi in 2016 delivering on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development https://undocs.org/UNEP/EA.2/Res.5
● DIRECTIVE 2008/98/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 19 November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives
Resolution adopted in November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32008L0098&from=EN
●
Council Directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April 1999 on the landfill of wasteIt is document, containing a series of articles signed in 1999 addressing the issue of landfill waste.
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● The Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter 1972 (London Convention) and its 1996 Protocol (the London Protocol)
The Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Waste and Other Matters, 1972 (London Convention) and the 1996 Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Waste and Other Matters are two important global instrument directly applicable to marine plastic litter and microplastics. The purpose of the London Convention and Protocol is to facilitate the efficient management of all sources of marine pollution. Parties shall take appropriate steps to avoid contamination of the marine environment caused by dumping at sea.
● The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal (Basel Convention)
According to the UNEP assessment, the Basel Convention 31 sets out the most systematic approach to the issue of marine plastic litter and microplastics worldwide, since the provisions of the Convention on waste minimisation, the environmentally sustainable management of waste produced and the transboundary movement of such waste are related to plastic waste. The Convention has also established a range of technical guidance documents on the identification and environmentally sustainable management of plastic waste and its disposal, which provide detailed guidance on the matter.
●
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable DevelopmentResolution 70/133 and the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development was adopted in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly with 17 sustainable development goals (SDG), including SDG 14 to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources. Each SDG includes targets and under the 10 targets for the implementation of SDG 14 (“Life below water”), target 14.1 specifically aims to prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine litter and nutrient pollution.
Previous Attempts to solve the Issue
● IMO Action Plan to Address Marine Plastic Litter from Ships
The Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) of the IMO recently adopted (on 26 October 2018) an Action Plan to Resolve Marine Plastic Litter from Ships (Resolution MEPC.310(73)) to help find a global solution to prevent marine plastic litter from entering the oceans through ship-based activities. IMO Member States agreed actions to be completed by 2025, which relate to all ships, including fishing vessels since It recognizes the importance of addressing the environmental and health problems posed
by marine plastic litter. The action plan also seeks to address possible gaps in MARPOL such as waste from dredging, which must be fully assessed to ensure it does not contain harmful materials like plastics.
● The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
The Convention on Biological Diversity18 (CBD) is a global convention unanimously endorsed by 196 Parties 19. The Convention does not explicitly discuss degradation of the aquatic environment, as it is primarily concerned with the protection of biological diversity. However on 10 December 2016, the CBD adopted Resolution CBD/COP/DEC/XIII/1020 addressing the effect of aquatic debris and anthropogenic underwater noise on marine and coastal biodiversity.
● EUROPEAN COMMISSION
The European Union's approach to waste management is based on the 'waste hierarchy,' which sets out the following priority order for waste policy and waste management at operational level: prevention, (preparation for) reuse, recycling, recovery and as the least preferred choice, disposal (which includes land filling and incineration without energy recovery).
In line with the 7th Environment Action Programme sets the following priority objectives for waste policy in the EU:
●
Eliminate the waste generated;●
Optimize recycling and re-use;●
Restrict incineration to non-recyclable materials;●
To phase out landfills for non-recyclable and non-recoverable waste;●
Ensure consistent adoption of the waste policy goals in all Member States.●
Summary of Measures, Policies and Initiatives Implemented by APEC Economies2021 Proposed Projects
● APEC Seminar on the Promotion of Circular Economy and Sustainable Material Management to effectively fix marine plastic litter in the Asia-Pacific region (Viet Nam)
● Building resources for solid waste management (United States)
● Exchange of best practices and scientific and technical approaches for the detection, characterization, risk evaluation and remediation of micro-and nanoplastics (United States)
2020 Projects
● Encouraging creative models to minimize and control land-based debris in the oceans for sustainable development (Viet Nam)
● Roadmap of Circular Economy (Malaysia)
● APEC Expanded Producer Liability for Circular Economy Plastic Conference (Malaysia) ● Renewable Energy Financing (Malaysia)
●
Multi-Year Dialog on Creative Waste Management (Malaysia) 2019 Project● Management of Waste, Recovery of Marine Litter, Innovation, and Empowerment (MaRINE) (Japan) ● Sustainable Materials Policy Program (United States)
Possible Solutions
Integrated approach to developing national strategies
At national level, an integrated package of options is required to achieve high diversion rates. Countries with high levels of diversion of BMW from landfill employ a variation of separate collection, thermal treatment, centralized composting and material recycling. Thermal treatment, in particular incineration, is commonly used for the treatment of bagged waste when composting, reusing and recycling waste obtained separately, such as paper and cardboard, textiles, wood, garden waste and to a lesser degree, food waste. Technologies such as anaerobic digestion, gasification and pyrolysis are used to a lesser degree, but their use may become more common as technologies grow.
Collection systems
Source categorization and separate collection should also be considered for inclusion in the national strategies for achieving the goals set out in the Directive on landfills. This recommendation is followed by a note of caution. Every country will need to work out a reasonable and workable source separation and separate collection goal so that it is fairly sure that the quality of the recovered materials is sufficiently high and that there are viable markets and outlets.
Availability of markets and other outlets for compost and other end products
When countries formulate their national policies, it is important to address the problem of markets and other sources. Although the infrastructure for separate storage and disposal of materials such as paper waste, garden waste and food waste can be placed in place, there is no guarantee that secure and stable markets will be available for the materials generated. National authorities should be conscious of the significance of creating and sustaining adequate markets and outlets while designing national policies and proposals for the diversion of BMW from landfill sites.
• Provide funding to the countries most in need, especially the fastest-growing countries, to build state-of-the-art waste management systems.
• Assisting major waste-producing countries to reduce plastics and marine litter use through robust waste reduction and recycling programmes.
• Reducing food waste by public education, organic management and organized food waste management programmes.
Besides structural policies and infrastructure investments, new technologies can also be of great use all along the value chain of waste management: reducing waste generation, improving recycling, electrifying and increasing waste collection, etc.
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Appendix or Appendices
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on waste management
The effects of COVID-19 are changing our way of life from day to day. Although national and local interventions often focus on protecting lives and the economy, hazardous waste management is also needed to reduce long-term risks to human and environmental health. Not treating healthcare waste properly can have serious effects on public health and the environment. Municipal solid waste (MSW) and electronic waste (e-waste), construction and demolition (C and D) waste, and other industrial waste, along with a growing number of other waste streams, are a critical part of the environment and health. With the newly discovered COVID-19 pandemic at the end of 2019, the importance of properly managing healthcare waste is gaining more attention.
Risks and challenges associated with waste management in COVID-19 pandemic
Waste generated through household/ domestic waste management (MSW)
● Increased amounts of mixed waste, including hazardous wastes, due to low proper segregation ● Increased quantity of plastic waste (due to lockdowns, suspension of reusable items in stores,
etc.)
● Lack of inventories/estimates of the amount of household hazardous waste produced ● Increased littering, illegal dumping and open burning;
● Suspension of recycling activities » Combination of infectious waste such as gloves, masks, tissues and gauze with other waste (exposure to transmission)
● Discontinued delivery of formal/informal waste management services
● Increased negative impacts, especially on the informal sector (OSH, health risk, business opprotunity loss, etc.)
● Incorrect MSWM service offered during normal periods (vulnerability in collection services and landfill operation as well as OSH)
● Lack of information on waste management ● Reuse of PPE Disposed
● Shortage of regular supplies of PPEs to waste collectors ● Rise in the amount of infectious waste generation
● Disruption in healthcare waste management programs ● Improper disposal of health waste management in place
● Suspension of recycling operations » Inadequate waste management and disposal capability
Waste generated through healthcare facilities
● Increased amount of infectious waste generation
● service interruptions of healthcare waste management services ● Improper healthcare waste management treatment in place ● Suspension of recycling activities
● Insufficient capacity for waste treatment and disposal
