What do we see?
The graph below shows the evolution of the amount of primary industrial waste in Flanders. Although the first part of the graph shows a downward trend (an effect of the 2008 economic crisis), after that we see a slight increase in the figures. This mainly consists of process-related waste, which is typical of an improving economy.
Although there is no European objective associated with these figures, the European member states have to report on this industrial waste. In the graph below we see waste production expressed in kg per inhabitant for each member state. What stands out is that Belgium is one of the countries with the highest waste production. An important reason for this is that the Belgian economy produces a lot for export.
What’s the aim?
In the transition to a circular economy it is important to reduce this waste production. Smaller waste production can mean that more materials and products get a new lease of life, that materials are handled more efficiently, that the service life of products increases or that discarded materials are put to good use.
What does this indicator measure?
OVAM estimates the production of primary industrial waste using an extrapolation based on data from a sample of companies. The selected companies report their waste via the Integrated Annual Environmental Report (IMJV). This sample is optimised for extrapolations based on sector and size.
