280
a set of strategic and legislative proposals that marked a clear shift toward the intersection of waste and resource effi ciency policies (e.g. Commission Communication
“Roadmap for a Resource Effi cient Europe”). Waste was to be seen as a resource
that should be reintroduced into productive processes, avoiding the extraction and
imports of resources.
PERSU 2020 would need to provide a response to the MSW management targets
for 2020, particularly the target of reaching 50 % of preparation for reuse and recycling of MSW (as defi ned by EU Directive 2008/98/EC). The ambition was also for
the MSW sector to open up tangible opportunities for economic growth and job
creation. Constraints on the growth of the sector were to be identifi ed and avoided
so that key players could take advantage of these opportunities and contribute
simultaneously to the reduction of environmental impacts of waste management
and increase of wealth. The impact of the new plan in these dimensions was to be
quantifi ed making use of IE tools.
In this context, the PERSU 2020 approved by the law: “Portaria n.º 187-A/2014,
publicada em DR (I Série) n.º 179, de 17 de setembro de 2014”, proposes objectives
for the MSW sector that stem from the PNGR and are aligned with the European
strategic framework: “The PERSU 2020 maintains the objective of protecting the
environment and human health through the correct use of processes, technologies
and infrastructures, but goes further by promoting waste prevention and the reintroduction of waste in the productive processes, thus reducing the need for resource
extraction and ensuring a secure supply to the Portuguese economy, while creating
new jobs and value added”.
In designing the PERSU 2020 vision, several principles were established,
including:
• Protection of the environment and of human health by preventing or reducing the
adverse impacts of waste generation and management.
• Full compliance with the national and European legislation.
• PERSU 2020 should not impose technological solutions and allow regional
waste management institutions to determine their own approaches to reach the
defi ned targets.
• Performance targets should be established at the regional level.
• Effi cient use of infrastructures – regional infrastructures are encouraged to
increase process effi ciency and to share available treatment capacity.
• MSW treatment should support principles of regional self-suffi ciency and
proximity.
• Emphasize actions targeting the upstream stages, namely waste prevention and
the collection of sorted MSW.
The IE principle of loop closing stands at the base of PERSU 2020, as clearly
stated in the vision: “PERSU 2020 (…) goes further by promoting (…) the reintroduction of waste in the productive processes, thus reducing the need for resource
extraction.” It is a central objective that is materialized in the national targets of
preparation for reuse and recycling and recycling of packaging waste. Regarding
policy options, circularity is promoted through two major vectors: the fi rst is by
limiting new investments in end-of-the-line technologies – new landfi lls and incinP. Ferrão et al.
a set of strategic and legislative proposals that marked a clear shift toward the intersection of waste and resource effi ciency policies (e.g. Commission Communication
“Roadmap for a Resource Effi cient Europe”). Waste was to be seen as a resource
that should be reintroduced into productive processes, avoiding the extraction and
imports of resources.
PERSU 2020 would need to provide a response to the MSW management targets
for 2020, particularly the target of reaching 50 % of preparation for reuse and recycling of MSW (as defi ned by EU Directive 2008/98/EC). The ambition was also for
the MSW sector to open up tangible opportunities for economic growth and job
creation. Constraints on the growth of the sector were to be identifi ed and avoided
so that key players could take advantage of these opportunities and contribute
simultaneously to the reduction of environmental impacts of waste management
and increase of wealth. The impact of the new plan in these dimensions was to be
quantifi ed making use of IE tools.
In this context, the PERSU 2020 approved by the law: “Portaria n.º 187-A/2014,
publicada em DR (I Série) n.º 179, de 17 de setembro de 2014”, proposes objectives
for the MSW sector that stem from the PNGR and are aligned with the European
strategic framework: “The PERSU 2020 maintains the objective of protecting the
environment and human health through the correct use of processes, technologies
and infrastructures, but goes further by promoting waste prevention and the reintroduction of waste in the productive processes, thus reducing the need for resource
extraction and ensuring a secure supply to the Portuguese economy, while creating
new jobs and value added”.
In designing the PERSU 2020 vision, several principles were established,
including:
• Protection of the environment and of human health by preventing or reducing the
adverse impacts of waste generation and management.
• Full compliance with the national and European legislation.
• PERSU 2020 should not impose technological solutions and allow regional
waste management institutions to determine their own approaches to reach the
defi ned targets.
• Performance targets should be established at the regional level.
• Effi cient use of infrastructures – regional infrastructures are encouraged to
increase process effi ciency and to share available treatment capacity.
• MSW treatment should support principles of regional self-suffi ciency and
proximity.
• Emphasize actions targeting the upstream stages, namely waste prevention and
the collection of sorted MSW.
The IE principle of loop closing stands at the base of PERSU 2020, as clearly
stated in the vision: “PERSU 2020 (…) goes further by promoting (…) the reintroduction of waste in the productive processes, thus reducing the need for resource
extraction.” It is a central objective that is materialized in the national targets of
preparation for reuse and recycling and recycling of packaging waste. Regarding
policy options, circularity is promoted through two major vectors: the fi rst is by
limiting new investments in end-of-the-line technologies – new landfi lls and incinP. Ferrão et al.