Effects of Target-Based Municipal Waste Management Policy in the EU: Assessment of Reporting Practices in Bulgaria

Mihaylov, Nikolay Dimitrov

4. Term

Urban, Energy and Environmental Planning, Master

2017

2017-06-01

39

På tværs af EU bruger landene forskellige metoder til at rapportere deres genanvendelsesrater for kommunalt affald – altså hvor stor en andel af kommunalt indsamlet affald, fx husholdningsaffald, der genanvendes. Disse forskelle kan svække, hvor robust og effektiv EU’s målbaserede politik for genanvendelse og genbrug er, fordi fremskridt måles på forskellige måder. Denne afhandling undersøger bulgarske rapporteringspraksisser som et casestudie for at vise, hvilke konkrete virkninger EU’s målbaserede politik har for genanvendelse af kommunalt affald, og hvordan rapporteringsregler påvirker resultaterne. Studiet forklarer også, hvorfor disse effekter opstår, og hvordan de negative effekter kan overvindes, for eksempel ved at gøre sammenligninger mere ensartede. Endelig bruger afhandlingen analytisk generalisering – at drage bredere læring fra et enkelt casestudie – til at pege på, hvordan resultaterne kan overføres til andre medlemsstater og informere forbedringer af de nuværende rapporteringsregler og -procedurer på nationalt plan og EU-plan.

Across the European Union, countries use different methods to report municipal waste recycling rates—the share of waste collected by municipalities, such as household waste, that is recycled. These differences can undermine how robust and effective EU policies with recycling and reuse targets are, because progress is measured in inconsistent ways. This thesis uses Bulgaria as a case study to show the real-world effects of the EU’s target-based policy on municipal waste recycling and how reporting rules shape the results. It also explores why these effects occur and how negative effects can be addressed, for example by making cross-country comparisons more consistent. Finally, the thesis uses analytic generalisation—drawing broader lessons from a single case—to suggest how the findings may apply to other Member States and help improve current reporting rules and procedures at national and EU levels.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]

waste ; municipal waste ; recycling rate ; calculation ; reporting

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