Rationale - what it means and why it is an important measure
The sorting of solid wastes means recycling and reducing the amount of the wastes contaminated in landfills. Recycling means an efficient use of material and a decrease in pressures to the environment. If left unseparated, the waste rots and generates environmentally hazardous gases under the conditions of compact landfills. The recycling categories may be: a) paper, b) glass, c) aluminium d) plastic and e) mixed disposed.
How it is compiled, what data are needed
If the amount (in tonnes or m3) of waste fraction (paper, glass, aluminium, plastic and mixed waste) is known, the result can be showed as a percentage of waste recycled per fraction.
Measurements and units
Amount of waste fraction as % of waste recycled per fraction (% of fractions)
Possible temporal and spatial format
trend charts, maps
Reference to methodology resources
OECD, 1997. Better Understanding Our Cities: The Role of Urban Indicators, EEA Indicator Set.
Objective
To increase the percentage of sorted and recycled wastes.
Targets, benchmarks, reference values
Local Agenda 21
References to examples of application
Best practices: Helsinki metropolitan area policy on separate collection of biomass: 'For the separate collection of biowaste, the properties pay less than 50% for a mixed refuse container of the same size', http://cities21.com/egpis/egpc-062.html.
