The role of law for improving municipal solid waste management: comparing Russia and Sweden (EU).

Abstract: Waste generation increases, and its management is one of the global challenges. Improper waste management creates many problems, but on the other hand, effective waste management can save natural resources, minimize GHG emissions, and provide additional workplaces. Sweden has already achieved some successful results in managing household waste, while modern Russia only began to reform the municipal solid waste management system in December 2014. This study makes a legal comparison of the Russian and the Swedish (EU) framework waste legislations, using the functional method of comparative law. The results show that Russia has already introduced many institutions, which are similar to those in the Swedish (EU) waste legislation. Nevertheless, there is still a huge potential to make the municipal solid waste management system in Russia more effective by improving framework waste legislation. Based on the findings from the comparison, there are following recommendations to Russia: to establish a separate waste collection system on the Federal level; make producers responsible for the whole life cycle of waste, including its waste management (from collection till disposal); correct the waste hierarchy; introduce the concepts of “preparing for re-use”, “re-use”, and a waste prevention program; change the norm of waste recovery to the recycling target.