The environmental group Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) welcomed the first reading text for the revision of the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) adopted by the European Parliament during its September plenary session last week. The European Parliament supported provisions that would require waste to energy (wte) plant operators to sort mixed waste to remove fossil materials prior to incineration if the energy generated from its biomass content is to be considered "renewable energy".
Moreover, incineration of biogenic waste (biowaste, paper, etc.) can only be supported if separate collection and waste hierarchy obligations are fully met. While ZWE said it supported the decisions taken to help accelerate the transition to a circular economy in Europe, it regretted that "an amendment to exclude hybrid sources such as mixed municipal waste totally from the scope was rejected"....
