Global climate and biodiversity challenges call for more effective measures and the circular economy provides tools for a more sustainable future. Vision 2030 of the Nordic governments aims at turning the Nordic region into the most sustainable and integrated region in the world. Making the shift to an efficient and effective circular economy will support this vision, and waste prevention policies are playing an increasingly significant role in facilitating this shift.
This study investigated effective measures and steering instruments for promoting waste prevention and reuse of municipal waste by households, businesses, and institutions in the Nordics. Within municipal waste, the waste fractions of textiles, consumer electronics, and plastic packaging were a specific focus area of this study. The measures analysed included, to varying extents, all levels of policy measures and steering instruments (regulatory, economic, voluntary, informative, EPR), but the emphasis was on economic steering instruments through a case study on textiles. Throughout the study, measures and policies were evaluated and analysed with a view to their impact (reducing the quantity of waste, reducing the adverse impacts of waste and/or harmful substance content) and feasibility (ease of implementation and monitoring as well as applicability in the Nordic region). The key conclusions are presented here.
Waste prevention is prioritised in the Nordic national waste plans, but we lack systematic measures to implement the policies. The current measures to promote waste prevention and reuse are primarily informative and voluntary, while regulatory measures, for example, still emphasise the end-of-life treatment of waste.
The transition to a circular economy requires a clear shift from recycling-focused policy to covering full product lifecycles. At EU level, environmental regulation is gradually shifting to cover the entire lifecycle of products more comprehensively. To prevent waste at the end-of-life phase, measures need to be targeted at the beginning of products’ lifecycle (use of natural resources, design, production). To achieve this, stronger regulative and economic steering is needed to create an encouraging, well-aligned policy mix with systemic impact.
Regulatory measures and EPR are imperative. The transition from waste legislation to more comprehensive circular economy legislation has only recently begun. As each Member State implements EU regulations, the Nordic countries should foster knowledge-sharing and collaboration and drive systemic change across the Nordics. The upcoming EPR framework for textiles needs to be accompanied by supporting policy measures.
Economic measures are vital means to reinforce regulatory impact. France's legislative initiative targeted at fast fashion serves as an example of a regulatory tool that incorporates strict economic measures similar to taxes on harmful products, and marketing bans, into environmental regulation. Strong steering is necessary to accelerate the transition to the circular economy, and the textile sector has been found to be in need of more economic steering. While reduced VAT rates and voucher systems for repair services might not have as strong direct impacts on waste prevention as bans and fees, they are also vital elements of a healthy policy mix that incentivises reuse and prolongation of product lifecycles. The Nordic countries should continue developing enabling environments for circular business models in various ways, although these measures cannot be expected to solve the waste challenge in the short term.
Informative and voluntary measures are needed to support a change of mindset. Economic steering mechanisms require support from informational guidance. There is already a rich array of informative and voluntary measures for waste prevention in the Nordics that consumers have adopted widely, and a lot of good practices to be scaled. The Nordic governments can do more in sharing these examples and support their scaling across the region.