Burn the Wicked Waste! A look into Hungarian waste incineration policy

Abstract: EU targets set by the Waste Framework Directive regarding waste management are soon to be complied and Hungary is still lagging behind. Nearly half of the waste is sent for landfill and the need to move up the waste hierarchy is more pressing than ever. The question is whether the government is willing to go beyond energy recovery, i.e. waste incineration. To answer the question a policy analysis is conducted on main policy documents as the National Waste Management Plan 2014-2020, National Collection and Recovery Plan 2015, Operational Programmes for the time period 2014-2020, including the National Energy Strategy 2030. Throughout the analysis it becomes clear that waste is regarded as a renewable energy source by the government, and the attitude of “killing two birds with one stone” is manifested by combining waste management with energy plans. Burning waste to produce energy may seem to be a convenient solution for both issues, but it is crucial to recognize waste policy and planning as wicked problem indicating that unintended consequences might arise. Environmental and social problems caused by waste incineration are already identified that should not be cast aside. A more holistic approach is needed to deal with waste issues and a move towards zero waste could be an answer.