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The European Waste Hierarchy: From the Sociomateriality of Waste to a Politics of Consumption

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  • Johan Hultman
  • Hervé Corvellec

Abstract

Municipal solid waste is a central concern for environmental policy, and the sociomateriality of waste—the ways in which waste is socially defined and dealt with—is an important issue for sustainability. We show how applying the European Union's waste policy through the European Waste Hierarchy (EWH) affects the sociomateriality of waste. The EWH ranks the desirability of different waste-management approaches according to their environmental impact. We investigate how the EWH has been acknowledged and interpreted in five different organizational contexts with relevance for Swedish waste management: EU environmental policy, the Swedish EPA, two municipal waste-management companies, and the trade organization Swedish Waste Management which represents the interests of municipal bodies involved with waste. In addition to preventing the production of waste, the EWH aims to disassemble, circulate, and reintroduce as much material as possible into production processes. We show how these aims shape paradoxical relationships between economy and society on the one hand, and environment and nature on the other, and open the way for a discussion of a politics of consumption through material management.

Suggested Citation

  • Johan Hultman & Hervé Corvellec, 2012. "The European Waste Hierarchy: From the Sociomateriality of Waste to a Politics of Consumption," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 44(10), pages 2413-2427, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:44:y:2012:i:10:p:2413-2427
    DOI: 10.1068/a44668
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Pauline Deutz & Gareth Neighbour & Michael McGuire, 2010. "Integrating sustainable waste management into product design: sustainability as a functional requirement," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 18(4), pages 229-239.
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    14. E. Sardianou & V. Nikou & K. Evangelinos & I. Nikolaou, 2024. "What are the key dimensions that CE emphasizes on? A systematic analysis of circular economy definitions," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 547-562, September.
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